Qualified Charitable Distribution
A transfer made directly from an IRA to a public charity by someone age 70 1/2 or older. It is left out of income entirely and counts toward that year's required minimum distribution.
Because the amount never enters AGI, a QCD lowers every income-tested figure, including Medicare IRMAA and the taxable share of Social Security, which an itemized charitable deduction cannot do. There is an annual per-person limit, indexed to inflation.
QCDs cannot come from a 401(k) and cannot go to a donor-advised fund or private foundation.