What is a charitable remainder trust?

In a charitable remainder trust assets are first distributed to at least one non-charitable beneficiary for a specified period of time with the remainder assets being distributed to at least one charitable beneficiary at the end of the time period. For example, imagine that you established a charitable remainder trust and transferred $1 million into the trust.  The trust terms might provide for distributions of $20,000 to each of your four children for ten years. After ten years, the assets remaining in the trust would be distributed to your named charitable beneficiary (or beneficiaries). Keep in mind that the trust should be earning interest during the ten year period of initial distributions as well.