Good news keeps coming: Retirement plans and charitable giving
You’ve no doubt noticed that Qualified Charitable Distributions (“QCDs”) continue to gain traction as one of the most practical and effective charitable planning tools for clients over age 70 ½. By allowing eligible clients to transfer funds directly from an IRA to a qualified charity without recognizing the distribution as taxable income, QCDs can help reduce adjusted gross income while supporting charitable priorities. For many clients—especially those who do not itemize deductions—a QCD is particularly appealing.
Wake-up Call: OBBBA Changes and Client Conversations
For many attorneys, CPAs, and financial advisors, the tax law changes under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act are old news. That is not the case for many of your clients! While you’ve been busy reading dozens of articles and evaluating how the changes will impact your clients, many of your clients are just now learning about the changes, especially as issues came to the forefront for them during tax season. Even if you’ve been talking with clients about the changes for months, don’t stop. For many clients, now is the first time they’ll really be listening.
Getting creative: Unusual noncash assets can make great gifts to charity
If you’re like many advisors, you may have discovered that often charitable giving conversations begin (and end!) with cash or appreciated stock. And of course, you understand appreciated stock is an excellent choice for your clients to fund a donor-advised or other type of fund at the Lenawee Community Foundation because it may avoid capital gains tax while also possibly triggering eligibility for a charitable deduction at fair market value.
Calling it Splits: What Happens to Charitable Assets in a Divorce?
As you work with charitable clients over the course of your career, you’ll likely help dozens of married couples establish donor-advised funds and other types of funds at the Lenawee Community Foundation, structure charitable gifts in wills and trusts, establish charitable remainder trusts, and everything in between.
Case study: Charitable giving in a down market
As you guide clients through ongoing market uncertainty, you may be noticing that conversations are becoming as much about perspective as performance metrics. While headlines may or may not ultimately signal a prolonged downturn, the mere possibility of a bear market can influence how clients think about everything from retirement timelines to charitable giving. As an advisor, you have an opportunity to help clients stay grounded and intentional, even when emotions are running high.
Serving charitable clients: Dual strategies emerge
As tax laws and market dynamics continue to shift, it is important for attorneys, CPAs, and financial advisors to be aware of two increasingly distinct groups of donors. On one hand, the high federal estate tax exemption and new restrictions on itemizing charitable deductions are creating unique needs for your clients whose assets exceed $30 million. On the other hand, the new charitable deduction for non-itemizers offers an entry point and incentive for your clients who are just starting out in their careers or still building wealth.
Documentation is no joke and coffee is not milk: Two important tax rulings
At the Lenawee Community Foundation, we value the role you play in helping individuals and families make the most of their charitable giving. That’s why we’re committed to providing regular updates on legal and policy developments that may impact your clients.
Women and philanthropy: Four insights to inform your practice
At the Lenawee Community Foundation, we’re honored to work with hundreds of individuals, families, and businesses who support a wide range of charitable causes. The generosity and commitment across generations and demographics inspire our team every single day.
Sudden life changes: Charitable giving can help clients get through it
As an attorney, CPA, or financial advisor, you are no stranger to witnessing the ripple effects of life’s unexpected curveballs. If you represent a client over many years, you’re very likely at some point to help the client through a serious illness, a loved one’s death, business challenges, marital dissolution, strained relationships with children, or […]
Postmarks, rule changes, and remedies for clients’ 2025 charitable gifts
If you were surprised to read about the ripple effect of a seemingly small change in the U.S. Postal Service regulations late last year, you were not alone! Here’s what you need to know, including potential remedies for your clients whose 2025 charitable deductions may be impacted by the rule change. What’s the background with […]