My IRA plan allows me to make a direct donation to a 501(c)(3). Do I benefit if I make the donation directly from my IRA to the charity? (W.L., Glastonbury, CT)

The direct donation beats the alternative. With the direct donation, you report neither the income nor the deduction. The IRA simply sends your IRA money to the charity.

The alternative works like this: You collect the distribution from the IRA and report it as taxable income ... Log in to view full article.