Donor News

29 May Charitable remainder trusts: What, where, who, why, when, and how?

Posted at 15:48h in Donor News

If you’ve been around foundations over the years, you’ve certainly heard the term “charitable remainder trust,” sometimes called a “CRT.” For most attorneys, CPAs, and financial advisors, CRTs don’t come along every day. Because a CRT can be such an effective planning tool in certain situations,...

22 May A happier alternative? Moving from a private foundation to a donor-advised fund

Posted at 16:20h in Donor News

The number of private foundations in the United States is nearing 150,000 with combined assets topping $1 trillion, so it’s no wonder that a lot of people immediately think about establishing a private foundation when they begin to explore structuring their charitable giving activities. Recently, though,...

15 May QCDs: Soon there may be more to love

Posted at 16:04h in Donor News

If you are 70 ½ and older, by now you’ve likely heard about a charitable giving tool called a Qualified Charitable Distribution (“QCD”), allowing you to direct a distribution from your IRA to an eligible charity, such as a designated fund, unrestricted fund, or field-of-interest...

08 May Comparing two scenarios: Why the step-up in basis matters

Posted at 15:49h in Donor News

As you’ve watched the news about potential tax reform, a principle known as the “step-up in basis” might have caught your attention. Over the years, from time to time, draft legislation has proposed that this principle be changed or eliminated. Although tax law changes to...

01 May Uncertain times: FAQs about charitable giving

Posted at 12:33h in Donor News

Economic turbulence, inflation concerns, and a general sense of financial instability have made 2025 very challenging for a lot of people. As you consider how to support your favorite charities this year, take a moment to evaluate which assets may be best suited for your...

24 Apr Weighing the options: Private foundation or donor-advised fund?

Posted at 16:01h in Donor News

When you’re working on the charitable components of your estate or financial plan, one of the first areas you’ll likely explore is the structure. Certainly you are familiar with both private foundations and donor-advised funds as useful charitable giving tools. Before you jump into one...

17 Apr Many happy returns: How to help your kids celebrate charitable giving

Posted at 15:39h in Donor News

If you’ve ever considered wrapping charitable giving into a child’s birthday party, you are not alone! Lots of parents are encouraging their kids to have guests bring gifts to charity instead of presents, whether it's collecting books for a children's hospital, pet toys for an...

10 Apr Crisis giving: Proceed with caution, but do proceed!

Posted at 15:33h in Donor News

It’s a natural human response to want to help in a crisis–even though it’s hard for many people to ask for help. Indeed, Stanford social psychologist Xuan Zhao notes that people generally underestimate others' willingness to help and overestimate the inconvenience it may cause. Asking...

03 Apr Make a plan–and make your favorite charities part of it

Posted at 14:31h in Donor News

At some point during your adult life, you’ve likely realized that it would be wise to put in place a will, trust, and powers of attorney, as well as undertake at least a basic level of financial planning to stay on track with retirement and...

27 Mar Tax time blues: Why is this so hard?

Posted at 13:57h in Donor News

After the holiday glow has finally worn off, you may be hit with a sinking realization that it’s time to pull together tax information and start working with your CPAs, financial advisors, and tax attorneys on the filings for last year. Tax time can be stressful...