Maser Kesafim - retirement

Question:

Thank you so much for this amazing service. I don't have a Rov at this time that can answer questions like this without referring them to another Rov.
I am planning to retire in the next few months. My retirement money that I will IY"H receive will be in the form of a lump sum that can then be invested in a pension account or something similar.

1. Is a person m'chuiyv to take maser from this lump sum, if they take maaser from all income? (There are significant Tax benefits in doing this)
2. If so, can this be invested in a trust account with the intention that this will be donated to tzedakah over time? This would include earnings that the trust makes.
3. What would be the status of earnings from the retirement pension? I assume that they would still be subject to maser, even though maser has been taken from the lump sum. If maser has already been taken from the initial lump sum and invested, can maser on the pension earnings then be considered as having taken a chomesh?
   Thank you
   Kol tuv

Answer:

Hello,

1. Pension funds are considered earnings, and would therefore be subject to maaser, the same way a person’s other income is subject to maaser. Alternatively, you can put the whole sum into the pension fund and then take maaser from the money as it is given to you to use. However it is noteworthy that aside from having to give maaser from the amount of the lump sum, being that you didn’t yet give maaser on this money, 10% of it belongs to maaser, plus 10% of the remaining 90% of the profits. For example, you got 100k for the pension. You invested it and it made 20k profit, being that 10% of the investment belonged to maaser, therefore 2k of the profit belongs to maaser, and 18k is you profit. On the 18k you would give $1800. Therefore, you be giving $3800, to maaser.
2. If the investment is totally safe you may invest the maaser, however if there are poor people or charity causes that need the money now, they should be given when the money is available, which is now.
3. The earnings from the retirement pension, are considered new earnings and would be subject to maaser as all earning are. Even though you already gave maaser on the base, but the interest etc., is still considered a new earning, and subject to maaser. It wouldn’t be chomesh, because you are not giving a second masser from the lump sum, rather only from the new money that you earned.

Best wishes