A pooled income fund is an irrevocable trust established and maintained by a public charity to which many donors can make contributions. Generally, it works as follows:
" Contributions received from individual donors are commingled for investment purposes.
" Each year, the donor (or the donor's designated income beneficiary) receives a distribution in an amount equal to the donor's pro rata share of the fund's net investment income.
" At the death of the income beneficiary, the portion of the fund attributable to the donor's gift is severed from the fund and distributed to a charity or charities of the donor's choice.
In the year of contribution, the donor may be entitled to an income tax charitable deduction.
Contributions are treated as gifts to a public charity for purposes of the income tax deductibility limitations.
The pooled income fund may accept appreciated assets from a donor and sell the appreciated property without the donor incurring immediate recognition of capital gains. If the property is encumbered by debt, other rules apply. The gift to a pooled income fund qualifies for the charitable gift and estate tax deduction. However, gift or estate tax may be incurred if the income interest is payable to someone other than the donor or the donor's spouse.
