UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT

                     Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
                         Securities Exchange Act of 1934

       Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): February 24, 2005

                                 CIT GROUP INC.
                                 --------------
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

   Delaware                        001-31369                      65-1051192
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(State or other                   (Commission                   (IRS Employer
jurisdiction of                   File Number)               Identification No.)
incorporation)

                                   1 CIT Drive
                          Livingston, New Jersey 07039
                          ----------------------------
              (Address of registrant's principal executive office)

       Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (973) 740-5000

                                 Not Applicable
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
          (Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)

                                -----------------

Check  the  appropriate  box  below  if the  Form  8-K  filing  is  intended  to
simultaneously  satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the
following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):

|_|   Written  communications  pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17
      CFR 230.425)

|_|   Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR
      240.14a-12)

|_|   Pre-commencement  communications  pursuant  to  Rule  14d-2(b)  under  the
      Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

|_|   Pre-commencement  communications  pursuant  to  Rule  13e-4(c)  under  the
      Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

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Item 5.02. Departure of Directors or Principal Officers;  Election of Directors;
Appointment of Principal Officers.

On February  22,  2005,  Edward J.  Kelly,  III  notified  CIT Group Inc. of his
decision  not to stand for  re-election  to the Board of Directors of CIT at its
2005 Annual Meeting of Stockholders due to the increasing demands on his time at
Mercantile  Bankshares  Corporation,  where he is Chairman,  President and Chief
Executive Officer.

                                   SIGNATURES

Pursuant  to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Exchange  Act of  1934,  the
Registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

                                       CIT GROUP INC.
                                       (Registrant)

                                       By: /s/ William J. Taylor
                                           -------------------------------------
                                           William J. Taylor
                                           Executive Vice President & Controller
                                           (Chief Accounting Officer)

Dated: February 24, 2005