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Estate Planning

Charitable Remainder Trust (CRT)

Drafting a compliant Charitable Remainder Trust requires extensive research into IRS regulations, careful calculation of payout rates, and precise language to satisfy both tax requirements and client objectives. Attorneys spend hours reviewing sample documents, verifying charitable beneficiary status, and ensuring trustee provisions meet fiduciary standards—all while managing the risk of non-compliance that could jeopardize tax benefits.

Automation ROI

Time savings at a glance

Manual workflow6.5 hoursAverage time your team spends by hand
With CaseMark12 minutesDelivery time with CaseMark automation
EfficiencySave 27.5x time with CaseMark

The Problem

Drafting IRC Section 664-compliant Charitable Remainder Trusts requires mastering complex tax regulations, precise mathematical formulas, and mandatory IRS language. A single technical error in payout calculations or prohibited transaction provisions can disqualify the trust's tax-exempt status, exposing clients to significant tax liabilities and defeating their charitable planning objectives.

The CaseMark Solution

CaseMark generates execution-ready CRATs and CRUTs with complete IRC Section 664 compliance, incorporating all required Treasury Regulation language and technical provisions. Our AI ensures accurate payout formulas, proper beneficiary designations, and prohibited transaction safeguards while reducing drafting time from hours to minutes.

Key benefits

How CaseMark automations transform your workflow

IRS-compliant payout structures automatically calculated (5-50% rates for CRUT/CRAT)

Built-in verification of charitable beneficiary tax-exempt status requirements

Comprehensive trustee provisions aligned with prudent investor rules

Automated research from Nolo, LegalZoom, and bar association resources

Reduce drafting time from 5+ hours to under 15 minutes per trust

What you'll receive

Declaration of Trust
Irrevocability and Funding
Income Beneficiaries and Payout Terms
Remainder Interest to Charity
Trustee Powers and Administration
Governing Law and Termination
Signatures and Execution

Document requirements

Required

  • Client Information Sheet
  • Asset Schedule

Optional

  • Prior Estate Planning Documents
  • Charitable Organization Documentation
  • Appraisal Reports

Perfect for

Estate Planning Attorneys
Wealth Management Advisors
Charitable Gift Planners
Tax Attorneys
Trust and Estate Paralegals
Family Office Counsel

Also useful for

This workflow is applicable across multiple practice areas and use cases

Non-profit attorneys regularly advise charitable organizations on receiving remainder interests from CRTs and ensuring compliance with tax-exempt status requirements for qualified charitable beneficiaries.

CRTs directly involve charitable organizations as remainder beneficiaries, requiring verification of 501(c)(3) status and understanding of charitable gift acceptance policies, making this workflow essential for non-profit counsel.

Financial Services78% relevant

Financial services attorneys advise wealth management firms and trust companies on establishing and administering CRTs as investment vehicles with specific payout requirements and fiduciary obligations.

CRTs involve complex financial calculations, investment management under prudent investor rules, and regulatory compliance for financial institutions serving as trustees, making this workflow valuable for financial services practices.

Family office counsel and corporate fiduciaries use CRTs as part of comprehensive wealth transfer strategies for high-net-worth clients, requiring trustee governance provisions and prudent investor compliance.

The workflow's trustee powers and administration sections align with corporate governance principles for trust entities, particularly relevant for institutional trustees and family office structures managing charitable trusts.

M&A attorneys use CRTs as tax-efficient exit strategies for business owners selling appreciated assets, allowing deferral of capital gains while generating income streams.

CRTs are frequently employed in business succession planning and asset sales to minimize tax liability on highly appreciated business interests, making them relevant tools in sophisticated M&A transactions.

Frequently asked questions

Q

What is the difference between a CRAT and a CRUT?

A

A Charitable Remainder Annuity Trust (CRAT) pays a fixed dollar amount or percentage of the initial trust value annually, while a Charitable Remainder Unitrust (CRUT) pays a percentage of the trust's value as revalued each year. CRATs cannot accept additional contributions after initial funding, whereas CRUTs may allow additional contributions. CaseMark can draft either type with the appropriate payout formulas and technical requirements.

Q

How does CaseMark ensure IRC Section 664 compliance?

A

CaseMark incorporates all mandatory language from Treasury Regulations §1.664-1 through §1.664-4, including the 10% minimum remainder interest requirement, prohibited transaction restrictions, and proper payout formulas. The system automatically includes provisions preventing self-dealing, excess business holdings, and jeopardizing investments as required under IRC Sections 4941-4945. Every document is structured to satisfy IRS qualification requirements for tax-exempt status.

Q

Can the trust document be modified after execution?

A

Charitable Remainder Trusts are irrevocable and generally cannot be amended in ways that affect beneficiary interests or charitable remainder provisions. However, CaseMark includes permissible amendment language allowing modifications necessary to maintain tax qualification, correct scrivener's errors, or comply with regulatory changes. The document also includes court reformation provisions if needed to preserve tax-exempt status while protecting the settlor's intent.

Q

What happens if a named charity no longer qualifies under Section 501(c)(3)?

A

CaseMark includes comprehensive contingency provisions addressing charity disqualification scenarios. The document contains automatic substitution language favoring organizations with similar charitable purposes, grants authority to designate replacement charities, and includes cy pres provisions ensuring charitable intent is fulfilled. These safeguards ensure the trust maintains its tax-qualified status even if originally named charities cease to exist or lose their tax-exempt status.

Q

How long does it take to generate a complete CRT document?

A

CaseMark generates a complete, execution-ready Charitable Remainder Trust document in approximately 12 minutes, compared to 6-7 hours for manual drafting. The system produces a professionally formatted instrument with all required sections, proper article numbering, technical tax language, and state-specific execution requirements. This allows attorneys to focus on client counseling and tax planning strategy rather than document assembly.