Charitable Planning
Make a lasting impact while aligning giving with your financial goals
Incorporating Your Values into Your Wealth Plan
Turning Generosity Into a Thoughtful, Sustainable Strategy
Charitable planning is about more than writing checks at year-end — it’s about aligning your resources with the causes and communities you care about. We help you identify what you want your giving to accomplish, both during your lifetime and as part of your legacy. From simple gifts to more sophisticated structures, the right approach can support your philanthropic goals while also providing tax and estate planning benefits. Charitable planning can also be a powerful way to involve your family, passing down values of generosity and stewardship. With a clear strategy, your giving becomes intentional, impactful, and integrated into your broader financial plan.
Charitable Giving Vehicles
Choosing the Right Tools to Support Your Favorite Causes
Different charitable vehicles offerDifferent charitable vehicles offer varying levels of flexibility, control, and complexity. We walk you through the main options and how they might fit into your overall strategy, including:
- Donor-advised funds, which allow you to make a contribution, take an immediate tax deduction, and recommend grants to charities over time.
- Private foundations, which can be appropriate for larger-scale giving and families who want more control and a formal structure but are comfortable with added administration.
- Charitable remainder trusts and charitable lead trusts, which blend income streams, tax benefits, and eventual gifts to charity in different ways.
- Qualified Charitable Distributions from IRAs for eligible individuals, which can satisfy required distributions while sending funds directly to charity without increasing taxable income.
- By understanding these tools, you can choose the structure that best matches your giving style, desired involvement, and long-term goals.
Tax Benefits of Charitable Planning
Maximizing the Financial Efficiency of Every Gift
Thoughtful charitable planning can create significant tax advantages while supporting the causes you value. Donating appreciated assets such as stock or real estate can help you avoid capital gains taxes while potentially receiving a deduction for the fair market value. Contributions to donor-advised funds, certain trusts, or foundations can also generate deductions within applicable limits, which can be especially powerful in high-income years. For retirees, strategies like Qualified Charitable Distributions can reduce taxable income while satisfying required minimum distributions. We help coordinate your giving with your tax strategy so that every gift works harder for both your finances and your favorite organizations.
Integrating Charity Into Your Financial and Estate Plan
Balancing Philanthropy With Family and Long-Term Security
Charitable goals should live alongside, not compete with, your family and retirement goals. We help you determine how much you can comfortably commit to charity without jeopardizing your long-term financial security. Some clients set a target percentage of their estate for charity, while others prefer annual giving from income, appreciated assets, or specific vehicles. For families, involving spouses or children in grantmaking decisions can turn philanthropy into a shared tradition and a way to pass on values. By integrating charitable planning into your financial and estate strategies, you create a legacy that reflects both your heart and your careful stewardship.
Align Giving with Your Values
Common Questions About Charitable Planning
Your Philanthropic Strategy and Tax Questions, Answered
How can I include charity in my estate plan?
You can include charity in your estate plan through simple bequests in your will, beneficiary designations, or more structured vehicles like charitable trusts. Some people leave a percentage of their estate to one or more organizations, while others designate specific accounts, such as retirement plans, to charity for tax efficiency. You can also pair charitable gifts with life insurance or other assets to keep family inheritances at desired levels. We help you map out an approach that reflects your priorities and coordinates with your overall estate strategy.
What are the benefits of a donor-advised fund compared to a private foundation?
Donor-advised funds are typically simpler and less expensive to administer, offering flexibility and immediate tax deductions without the need for your own board or formal structure. Private foundations provide more control, visibility, and potential for family involvement, but come with additional regulatory requirements, reporting obligations, and ongoing costs. For many families, a donor-advised fund provides a straightforward way to organize giving and involve younger generations. For those with larger philanthropic goals and a desire for a more formal platform, a foundation may be worth considering.
How do charitable trusts work for estate and tax planning?
Charitable remainder trusts can provide income to you or other beneficiaries for a period of time, with the remaining assets going to charity, often generating an upfront partial tax deduction. Charitable lead trusts work in the opposite direction, sending income to charity for a set period, then transferring the remainder to heirs, potentially reducing estate tax on those assets. Both structures can be especially useful when working with highly appreciated assets or larger estates. We help you explore whether these tools align with your goals and coordinate with your attorney to implement them properly.
Does charitable giving always provide a tax benefit?
While many charitable contributions are tax-deductible, the actual benefit depends on your income level, whether you itemize deductions, and the type of gift you make. Some strategies, like donating appreciated securities or using Qualified Charitable Distributions, can be particularly tax-efficient. Even when tax benefits are limited, charitable gifts can still play an important role in your legacy and impact. Our role is to help you choose methods that honor your intentions while being as financially efficient as possible.
How much should I give to charity versus leaving to family?
The right balance between charitable giving and family inheritances is highly personal and depends on your values, resources, and family circumstances. We help you clarify what you want your wealth to accomplish and then model different scenarios to see how they affect your retirement security and estate. Some clients choose a fixed percentage split between family and charity, while others prioritize giving during life and adjusting as circumstances evolve. With careful planning, you can support the causes you care about without compromising the well-being of your loved ones.
