Giving from your IRA
Make a tax-free gift to support climate action
If you are 70½ years or older, you can make a tax-free gift of up to $111,000 from your Individual Retirement Account in 2026 to a qualified organization such as EDF. This popular option is commonly called an IRA charitable rollover or a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) and is a powerful, tax-smart way to support EDF and other causes you care about.
These gifts can also count toward your Required Minimum Distribution (RMD), if you are 73 or older, without increasing your taxable income.
How to make a Qualified Charitable Distribution to EDF
- Contact your IRA administrator
Request to make a "qualified charitable distribution" (QCD) to Environmental Defense Fund, Inc. - Provide our details
Your gift should be made payable to:
Environmental Defense Fund, Inc.
Tax ID # 11-6107128,
And mailed to:
Environmental Defense Fund, Inc.
Attn: Gift Processing
257 Park Avenue South
New York, NY 10010
Please ask your IRA administrator to include your name and address on the check, so we can properly credit you for your gift. - Tell us that you are sending a QCD
Please complete our online form here, or you may notify your personal contact at EDF or call our Member Services team at 202-572-3298 to be on the lookout for your QCD gift.
Fill out the form below to notify us of your gift!
After you make your QCD gift
- Once your IRA administrator receives your request, your gift is typically mailed to us in about 5-10 business days.
- EDF will provide you with an acknowledgment of your gift for income tax purposes.
- Your IRA Administrator will send you a 1099-R, which will not differentiate between your QCD and your other distributions.
- When completing your tax return, subtract the amount that was transferred directly to EDF from the total distributions. Report the remainder (even if it’s $0) on line 4b, and write “QCD”, so the IRS knows why the numbers don’t match. If using tax software, a drop-down box for line 4b should give you a choice to click QCD.
Long-term planning
In addition to making a current gift, your IRA can be part of your long-term charitable plans:
- Name EDF as a beneficiary of your IRA to maximize tax savings and create an environmental legacy.
- Use IRA assets to fund a charitable gift annuity, which pays you for life (subject to IRS rules and limits).
- Combine IRA giving with other estate planning tools to maximize tax efficiency for heirs.
Retirement accounts can be among the most heavily taxed assets left to heirs. Designating a nonprofit like EDF as a beneficiary may reduce taxes while advancing the environmental progress you care about. Our Planned Giving team would be happy to discuss options confidentially and without obligation.
Questions?
If you have questions about making a gift from your IRA or one that you have already made, please contact our Member Services team at 800-684-3322 or by submitting a request here .