The provision allowing IRA owners over age 70 ½ to transfer up to $100,000 of their IRA directly to charity has been RETROACTIVELY extended through the end of 2009 (as if it never expired).
This provision was part of the massive bailout legislation officially known as the “Emergency Economic Stabilization, Energy Improvement and Extension, and Tax Extenders and AMT Relief Acts of 2008”
It is so far being referred to in the short version as The “2008 Economic Stabilization Act”
H.R. 1424 was signed into law by the President on October 3, 2008.