Qualified Charitable Distributions
A Smarter Way to Give: Using Your IRA to Build Healthy Youth and Communities
If you're 70½ or older and facing Required Minimum Distributions from your IRA, there's a powerful way to turn that obligation into opportunity. Through a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD), you can direct up to $108,000 annually from your IRA directly to the charity of your choice, one like Southern Pickleball Academy—and the best part? That money won't count as taxable income.
Instead of watching your distribution push you into a higher tax bracket, you can invest it directly in getting paddles into kids' hands, funding First Paddle programs, and providing scholarships that change students' lives. It's a win-win: you satisfy your Required Minimum Distribution, reduce your tax burden, and make a lasting impact on youth in your community. The important part to remember is that your qualified distribution must pass directly from your IRA to the recipient, Southern Pickleball Academy. (see illustration below).
How to make a QCD — simple steps
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Contact your IRA custodian (the financial institution that manages your IRA).
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Tell them you want to make a Qualified Charitable Distribution directly to Southern Pickleball Academy.
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Provide the custodian with the following details so the funds come straight to us:
Southern Pickleball Academy
404 Key Ave. New Ellenton, SC 29809
EIN: 92-0510304
Email for receipts/questions: finance@southernpickleballacademy.org
Ask your custodian to include your name on the distribution so we can properly acknowledge your gift. We will send you a charitable receipt for your records (required for tax reporting).
Important reminders
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Transfers must be completed by December 31 to count for the current tax year.
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Only direct transfers from IRAs qualify (not from personal checks or 401(k)s).
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Always consult your financial or tax advisor to ensure QCDs are right for your situation.
Your gift will help grow pickleball opportunities for youth and strengthen healthy communities — thank you for making a difference!
Sample Letter to IRA Custodian
FAQs from Fidelity about QCDs
"Many 70 year-olds here in Aiken are unaware that donating to our local 501(c)(3), Southern Pickleball Academy, through the Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) program, that one can potentially lower your tax bracket and lessen your tax obligation. I am very pleased to see my contribution assist local Aiken school children and help them build skills and character while maintaining a good, healthy and active lifestyles."
Queenie Jones, Aiken, SC
