I've seen directly conflicting advice on the tax status of gifting MLP shares to a charity. One expert said you cannot write the value off on your taxes (excepting to the extent of a share price increase beyond your original buying price) and the other said you could donate and write off the full amount just as with any other security. The assumption for this question is that the MLP has been held for some time, resulting in a substantial decrease to the basis.

Related question - if you gifted MLP shares to a child in an amount not greater than the allowed gift exclusion (13,000 I believe) do they recieve it on a stepped up basis?

Anybody know the answer to either of these?