IRA Gifts (QCD)
If you’re 70½ or older, your IRA may be the most tax-wise way to support Phoenix Christian. A Qualified Charitable Distribution, or QCD, sends a gift straight from your IRA to the school, and it’s never counted as taxable income.
Three Things to Know
Who: If you’re 70½ or older, you can give directly from your IRA to Phoenix Christian.
How much: In 2026 you can give up to $111,000 this way. Married couples can each give from their own IRA.
Your required distribution: If you’re required to take a minimum distribution this year, your gift counts toward it.
In other words, money you would owe taxes on can become scholarships, classrooms and brighter futures for our students, at no tax cost to you. And because a QCD lowers your income rather than relying on a deduction, it works even if you take the standard deduction.
3 Easy Steps
1. Contact your IRA custodian. Ask for a Qualified Charitable Distribution to Phoenix Christian Preparatory School, using the details below. Many custodians have a short form or an online request.
2. Have the funds sent directly to the school. This is what keeps the gift tax-free. If the money is paid to you first, it no longer qualifies. Some custodians mail you a check made out to Phoenix Christian to pass along to us; that works too.
3. Let us know it’s coming. Custodian checks often arrive without your name on them. A quick note helps us thank you properly and send your receipt.
Details for Your Custodian
Payable to: Phoenix Christian Preparatory School
Tax ID (EIN): 86-0103283
Mail to: Phoenix Christian Preparatory School, Attn: Development Office, 1751 W. Indian School Rd., Phoenix, AZ 85015
Please ask your custodian to include your name and address, plus a purpose if you have one (for example, financial aid or the Annual Fund). Gifts without one go where the need is greatest.
Timing Matters
To count for 2026, the gift must leave your IRA by December 31. Custodians get busy at year-end, so we suggest starting your request by early December. If you write the check yourself from an IRA checkbook, it counts when it clears your account, so mail it early.
Questions and Answers
Good to Know
Common questions about giving from your IRA.
Not a deduction, and that’s the advantage. The gift is left out of your taxable income instead, which helps even if you take the standard deduction. We’ll send a receipt for your records. Your custodian’s year-end Form 1099-R may report it as a regular distribution, so tell your tax preparer it was a QCD.
Traditional IRAs, and inherited IRAs if you’re 70½ or older. SEP and SIMPLE IRAs qualify only in a year they get no employer contributions. 401(k) and 403(b) plans don’t qualify directly, but you may be able to roll them into an IRA first.
No. You can give starting at 70½, even though required distributions now begin at 73 or later, depending on your birth year.
Yes. If you’re each 70½ or older, you can each give up to $111,000 in 2026 from your own IRA.
The IRS sets none, though your custodian may. Even part of your required distribution makes a difference.
Not as a QCD. The gift has to go straight from your IRA to a charity like Phoenix Christian, not into a donor-advised fund.
No. The full amount must be a gift, with nothing received in return. Pay for events separately.
Still have questions? Call (602) 265-4707 or email us.
Questions Are Always Welcome
We’re glad to walk you or your advisor through the details. Call us at (602) 265-4707, or let us know your gift is coming and we’ll take it from there.
Phoenix Christian Preparatory School is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, EIN 86-0103283. This page is for educational purposes and is not tax or legal advice. Please consult your financial or tax advisor about what’s right for your situation.
