If you are 70½ or older, making a gift from your IRA is one of the most powerful ways to protect marine wildlife. A qualified charitable distribution (QCD) to Sea Shepherd allows you to make an immediate impact without paying income tax on the transfer.
Smart Giving From Your IRA
You can give any amount—up to $108,000 per year—directly from your IRA to a qualified charity such as Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. Because the gift goes straight to charity, you do not pay income tax on the distribution, even if you do not itemize deductions. You can begin making Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs) once you reach age 70½, even though required minimum distributions (RMDs) now begin at age 73.
Why This Gift Matters
Your IRA gift goes to work immediately. You will help keep our ships on the water, support enforcement partnerships, and defend vulnerable species across critical habitats we patrol year-round.
- Reduce your taxable income. A QCD does not count as income, which may help lower Medicare premiums and reduce tax on Social Security benefits.
- Meet your RMD. Beginning in the year you turn 73, your IRA gift can satisfy all or part of your required minimum distribution.
- Simple and direct. Your IRA administrator sends the gift straight to Sea Shepherd.
Next Steps
- Use our tool Take Action! Give From Your IRA to connect to your retirement provider.
- Contact Michaela Gondella at donations@seashepherd.org or 212-220-2302 if you would like help making your IRA gift or need a contact name for your custodian.
- Checks should be made payable to: Sea Shepherd Conservation Society.
- Please allow your IRA custodian enough time to process your QCD so it is completed by December 31 if you want it to count for the current tax year. Processing can take 2–4 weeks depending on the provider.
- Your IRA provider may send the gift without your name or contact information. Please be sure to request they add your information or let us know directly so we can properly acknowledge your generosity.
- Consult your financial advisor about whether a QCD is right for your situation.
Legal Information
Legal Name: Sea Shepherd Conservation Society
Address: PO Box 7750, Woodbridge, VA 22195
Federal Tax ID: 93-0792021
This information is not intended as legal or tax advice. Please consult your financial advisor to determine whether a QCD is appropriate for you. For additional details, see
IRS Publication 590-B.
For over 40 years Sea Shepherd has been Defending, Conserving, and Protecting our ocean.
Your support powers our patrols, strengthens our partnerships, and helps us stop illegal activity on the water.
Learn more about the many ways to support the mission.
Frequently Asked Questions
These answers cover the most common questions about making a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) from your IRA to Sea Shepherd.
Not yet. You must already be 70½ on the date you make the gift for it to qualify as a QCD. Once you reach that age, you may make QCDs even though required minimum distributions do not begin until age 73.
Yes. A QCD must come from a traditional IRA. Other retirement plans—such as 401(k)s, 403(b)s, pensions, profit-sharing plans, or TSPs—must first be rolled into an IRA before you can make a QCD from that account. Check with your plan administrator or advisor to see if a rollover is available for your situation.
Yes. Starting in the year you turn 73, your QCD can satisfy all or part of your required minimum distribution for that year.
No. You can give any amount up to $108,000 in a calendar year through QCDs. If your IRA is larger, you can choose to transfer only a portion of it.
For your QCD to count for a given tax year, the distribution must leave your IRA by December 31 of that year. Processing by your custodian can take 2–4 weeks, so please allow enough time for the gift to be completed before year-end if you want it to apply to the current year.
No. The $108,000 limit is total per person, per year across all charities. You can divide that amount among multiple organizations, but your combined QCDs can’t exceed $108,000 in a single year.
Yes. If your spouse (as defined by the IRS) is also 70½ or older, they may make their own QCDs of up to $108,000 from their IRA. Together, you could give up to $216,000 in one year.
Yes. Current law allows a one-time QCD of up to $54,000 to fund a life-income gift such as a charitable gift annuity or charitable remainder trust. Some limitations apply, so contact us for details and a personalized illustration.
A QCD today lets you see your impact in action. You can give up to $108,000 per year, support current campaigns, and, in many cases, fulfill an existing pledge using a QCD. Your beneficiary designation still continues your legacy after your lifetime.
For Those 59½ Years Old or Older
If you are at least 59½, you can take a distribution from your IRA and then make a charitable gift without penalty.
If you itemize your deductions, you may also take a charitable deduction for the gift.
At Any Age
No matter your age, you can designate Sea Shepherd Conservation Society as the beneficiary of all or a percentage of your IRA.
After your lifetime, these assets pass to Sea Shepherd tax-free and help fund our direct-action work protecting marine wildlife.
To do this, simply request a change-of-beneficiary form from your IRA administrator or download the form from their website.
Tip: Please let us know about your beneficiary designation.
Many administrators do not notify charities of beneficiary gifts or track whether your wishes are followed.
We would be honored to discuss your intentions, ensure your gift is documented correctly, and thank you for your generosity.
