Centennial Leadership Conference on Non-Profit Tax Reform
Centennial Leadership Conference on Non-Profit Tax Reform
March 15-16, 2017
This convention gathered leading experts from diverse backgrounds in philanthropy to address some of the critical issues explored at the 2014 Convention on Promoting Meaningful Reform, including the following questions:
- What makes an organization “charitable”? Has the law drawn the lines circumscribing charitable organizations the right way?
- Current law treats all charitable purposes the same. One possible way of addressing this is by granting different levels of tax benefits to different types of giving. Is this a good idea, or will this cause more problems than it solves?
- Donor advised funds provide maximum tax benefits to donors without imposing any mechanism to ensure that the money makes its way out to charities in a timely manner. Congressman Camp has proposed a 5-year payout rule for these accounts. Is this the right response?
- Endowments at public charities, particularly universities, have grown to unprecedented levels. Some observers find this troubling, particularly in light of the astronomic rise in tuition. Should the rules be changed to encourage and/or require payout from endowment funds?
- The 1969 legislation established a 5% payout rule for foundations. While the 5% standard was designed to serve as a floor for payout, scholars have noted that it often serves as a ceiling as well. Is it is appropriate for foundations to be able to meet their payout obligations through administrative expenses and donations to donor advised funds? Is it time to revise the payout rules governing private foundations?
- Because of differing benefits, the distinction between private foundations and public charities has played a significant role in shaping charitable giving. Do these current rules provide a meaningful distinction? Might there be a better way to redraw the lines in order to serve the larger public good?
Become a Co-Sponsor
For more information about becoming a co-sponsor, please contact Professor of Law and Forum Convenor Ray Madoff.
Conference Schedule
Wednesday, March 15, 2017
6:30 pm Welcome Dinner
Tax Reform: Perils and Opportunities for Change in Charitable Giving
Steve Miller, National Director of Tax at AlliantGroup; Former IRS Acting Commissioner and Commissioner of the Tax Exempt and
Government Entities Division
Dean Zerbe, National Managing Director of AlliantGroup; Former Senior Counsel and Tax Counsel to the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance
Thursday, March 16, 2017
8:00 am Breakfast
8:30 am Welcome and Introductions
Darren Walker
Ray Madoff
8:45 am History of Charitable Tax Benefits and Guiding Principles
Stanley Katz and Robert Reich
9:15 am Current Trends in Charitable Giving
Una Osili
9:45 am Current Tax Proposals Affecting Charitable Giving, and their Potential Ramifications for the Sector
Eugene Steuerle
10:30 am 15-minute Coffee Break
10:45 am Donor-Advised Funds in Support of Nonprofits Foundations and Public Charities
Ray Madoff and Roger Colinvaux
11:30 am Private Foundations in Support of Non-profits
Brian Galle and Ray Madoff
12:15 pm Lunch
1:00 pm Johnson Amendment, Strengthening the IRS and other Issues
Roger Colinvaux and Brian Galle
1:30-2:30 pm Next Steps
2:00pm Conclusion
