INWPGC January Meeting

RIFT Project: Status Update 

Has your non-profit bumped into road blocks while attempting to receive IRA death proceeds from a donor?  Have IRA administrators delayed the death claim process by requesting more and more forms from you?  Or, has your non-profit been required to set up an entirely separate, second account just to get the proceeds?  Did you experience IRA administrators asking for driver’s licenses, Social Security numbers, net worth, or other personal information about your officers or board members while telling you (erroneously) the Patriot Act requires you to provide it? This process has gotten completely out of control over the last few years. What was once a simple practice of providing a death certificate and receiving your share of the IRA within 30-60 days has now turned into an onerous and laborious procedure – so much so, that some charities are completely giving up on applying for their share.  They are frustrated with all the delays in receiving the payments for months, and yes – even years. Some have given up — saying it isn’t worth it and don’t want to give personal information when it’s supposed to be the NONPROFIT’S information.  Do you want to know how to avoid all this?  Want an easier way? Want faster results? We’ve shared these situations with the Senate Finance Committee and requested IRS involvement to fast-track death benefits for charities.  Join us for the update on how this will get your non-profit its money faster. Get the latest details here.   

About our Speaker

Johni Hays, JD, FCEP 

Senior Vice President Thompson & Associates  

With more than 25 years of experience as a practicing attorney in charitable and estate planning, Johni Hays is a recognized expert on the subject of charitable gift planning. Johni served as the president of the Charitable Estate Planning Institute, and she is the author of the book Essentials of Annuities and co-author of the book The Tools and Techniques of Charitable Planning. Johni serves on the Smithsonian’s Gift Planning Council in Washington, DC.  She served on the Editorial Advisory Board for the books Tax Facts on Investments and Tax Facts on Insurance and Employee Benefits. She also served on the National Association of Charitable Gift Planners board and as a founding charitable planning author of Steve Leimberg’s electronic newsletter service, LISI, found at www.leimbergservices.com. 

Johni has been quoted in the Wall Street Journal and has published charitable planning articles in Estate Planning Magazine, Planned Giving Today, Fundraising Success, Life Insurance Selling, and the National Underwriter magazines.  Johni is in demand as a national lecturer on estate and charitable planning, probate, living wills, annuities, life insurance, retirement planning and IRAs, as well as income, estate and gift taxation. Johni has been engaged in the practice of law with an emphasis in charitable and estate planning since 1993.    Prior to joining Thompson & Associates, Johni served as the Senior Gift Planning Consultant for The Stelter Company. Prior to that, as the Executive Director of the Greater Des Moines Community Foundation Planned Giving Institute. In addition, Johni practiced estate planning with Myers Krause and Stevens, a Chartered law firm in Naples Florida, where she specialized in estate planning.  Johni graduated cum laude with a Juris Doctor degree from Drake Law School in Des Moines, Iowa, in 1993. She also holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Drake University and graduated magna cum laude in 1988. 

Johni has been a member of the Iowa and Florida Bar since 1993. She resides in Johnston, Iowa, with her husband, Dave Schlindwein.