http://thesmartgiver.com This video is about church fundraising by showing people how to build more retirement income.

The best way to save for retirement is through a retirement plan at work. The most common is the 401(k). However, there is a limit to how much you can put away in a 401(k). You can augment the 401(k) with an IRA, but there are limits to an IRA as well.

The vehicle I will be illustrating is not well known and far under-utilized. That's a shame because it can do things traditional retirement plans cannot. Moreover, for those interested in church fundraising, an ultimate benefit can be provided to the person's church. If you are a church, or if you are a church leader interested in perpetuating the ministries by eventually endowing the church, I would suggest you learn how this strategy can result in major gifts.

This video provides an introduction on the use of a charitable remainder unitrust (CRUT) for retirement purposes. Here are the attributes of retirement charitable unitrust:

1. Contributions can be made in addition to any other type of retirement plan.

2. The lid on the contribution is high: 50% of Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) if cash is contributed; 30% of AGI if appreciated property is contributed. Yes, you read that right. You don't have to fund the plan with cash. You can use appreciated securities, real estate or almost any other appreciated asset.

3. You can exceed the AGI limitation. You can carry forward any excess for five more years.

4. If you contribute appreciated property, you don't have to pay the capital gains tax on any gain.

5. Plan contributions are partially deductible.

6. The funds within the plan accrue tax-deferred, just like qualified plans.

7. If you are self-employed with employees, you don't have to include the employees.

Here's an example...

Scott and Beth are both age 40 and have good paying jobs. Both are participating in their company's 401(k) plans and have their own IRAs.

Still, they want more retirement income. Let's see how a retirement CRUT with a payout percentage of 5% can work for them.

Let's assume each contribute $5,000 a year from their own income to a retirement charitable unitrust that earns 7%. Until their age 65, the unitrust invests in growth stocks that pay a 1% dividend and grow at 6%. The plan is to change the investments to bonds that pay an assumed 7% at their retirement.

Total contributions age 40 -- 65: $ 250,000
Tax deductions: 55,000

Value of CRUT at age 65: 581,000

Retirement income: 40,700 per year
Total income to life expectancy: 1,019,000

Gift to their church at life expectancy: 657,000

Are you self-employed and want to accumulate more for retirement without having to include your employees in the plan? Do you have appreciated assets that could be placed in a retirement CRUT, sold, the capital gain by-passed and invested in a tax-deferred environment until retirement? Either of these situations merits the examination of a retirement CRUT. And if your qualified plan contribution is maxed out, consider setting up a retirement CRUT.