Legal Definitions - charitable trusts purposes

A charitable trust is a type of trust that is recognized by U.S. law and receives certain favorable treatment. To qualify as a charitable trust, it must have a specific purpose that is considered charitable. This purpose can include:

• Relief of poverty
• Advancement of education
• Advancement of religion
• Promotion of health
• Governmental or municipal purposes
• Other purposes beneficial to the community

For example, a charitable trust could be set up to provide scholarships to underprivileged students, support a religious organization, or fund medical research. These purposes are considered charitable because they aim to benefit the community in some way.

One example of a case involving a charitable trust is In re Alaimo, where the court determined that a trust set up to provide scholarships to students was a valid charitable trust. Another example is In re Board of Trustees of Huntington Free Library & Reading Room, where the court found that a trust set up to support a library was also a valid charitable trust.

Overall, charitable trusts serve an important role in supporting various charitable causes and organizations, and can provide tax benefits to those who set them up.