Most charitable giving starts with the heart. But to create the greatest possible impact, it should be guided by a clear strategy.
Strategic giving is the thoughtful alignment of your philanthropic goals with smart financial planning. It helps ensure your generosity works harder for the causes you support while bringing more purpose and efficiency to your overall financial plan.
A well-designed strategy considers all the ways you can contribute, including both talent and treasure, transforming good intentions into a powerful legacy.
The Gift of Talent
This philosophy is put into practice by our President, Jeff Dobyns, demonstrated through his servant leadership as the Chairman of the Board for Men of Valor, an organization that helps formerly incarcerated men rebuild their lives.
This same spirit of contribution can be seen when a seasoned entrepreneur lends their operational experience to help a local charity scale its impact or a marketing executive helps a nonprofit sharpen its message for a capital campaign. These are powerful examples that the gift of talent can be just as valuable as a financial contribution.
The Gift of Treasure
Alongside the strategic gift of talent is the equally important gift of treasure. Financial gifts become powerful when they’re given with intention, using smart, tax-efficient strategies to amplify their impact.
Here are a few effective strategies for intentional giving:
- Donor-Advised Funds (DAFs): A DAF is like a charitable investment account. You can contribute cash, stock, or other assets, receive an immediate tax deduction, and then recommend grants to your favorite charities over time. The funds can be invested and potentially grow, allowing you to give even more in the future.
- Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs): If you are age 70½ or older, you can donate up to $105,000 per year directly from your IRA to a qualified charity. A QCD is not considered taxable income, and it can satisfy your annual Required Minimum Distribution (RMD), providing a significant tax advantage.
- Gifting Appreciated Stock: Donating stocks or mutual funds that you’ve held for more than a year is another tax-efficient way to give. You can generally deduct the full fair market value of the asset and avoid paying capital gains tax on the appreciation.
- Charitable Trusts & Bequests: For those looking to make a substantial, long-term impact, naming a charity in your will or establishing a charitable trust can be a cornerstone of your estate plan. These tools allow you to support the causes that matter most to you for generations to come.
Your Partner in Purposeful Giving
Whether you’re giving your talent or your treasure, the goal is to create meaningful change. We believe that being guided by something bigger than ourselves means helping our clients become the best stewards of the resources they have been given.
Let’s work together to build a giving strategy that reflects your heart, honors your values, and serves your financial goals. Connect with a SageSpring advisor to learn more.
Disclosures:
All investments involve risk, including possible loss of principal. There is no guarantee that the investment objectives will be achieved. Moreover, past performance is not a guarantee or indicator of future results, which may vary. Except where otherwise indicated, the information contained in this presentation is based on matters as they exist as of the date of preparation of such material and not as of the date of distribution or any future date. Recipients should not rely on this material in making any future investment decision.
The information provided and views expressed herein do not constitute a recommendation or investment advice of any kind nor are they an offer or solicitation to buy or sell any securities or to adopt any investment strategies or financial products. This material is not intended to be relied upon as a forecast or research in any way and should not be solely relied upon when making an investment decision. This material is provided solely for informational purposes and on the understanding that the recipient has sufficient knowledge and experience to be able to understand and make their own evaluations of the proposals and services described herein, any risks associated therewith, and any related legal, tax, accounting, or other material considerations. To the extent that the reader has any questions about the applicability of any specific issue discussed above to their specific portfolio or situation, they are encouraged to contact or consult with the professional advisor of their choosing. Opinions and commentary do not take into account the investment objectives or financial situation of any particular investor or class of investors. Investors will need to consider their own circumstances before making an investment decision. Investment allocations are subject to change and should not be construed as investment advice. Except where otherwise indicated, the information contained herein is based on matters as they exist as of the date of preparation of such material and not as of the date of distribution or any future date. Recipients should not rely on this material in making any future investment decision.
Certain information contained herein has been obtained from third-party sources and such information has not been independently verified by SageSpring. No representation, warranty, or undertaking, expressed or implied, is given to the accuracy or completeness of such information by SageSpring or any other person. While such sources are believed to be reliable, SageSpring does not assume any responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of such information. SageSpring does not undertake any obligation to update the information contained herein as of any future date. SageSpring cannot be held responsible for any direct or incidental loss incurred by applying any of the information presented.
Any indices and other financial benchmarks shown or discussed are provided for illustrative purposes only, are unmanaged, reflect reinvestment of income and dividends, and do not reflect the impact of transaction costs or other fees, including advisory, which will affect actual investment performance. Investors cannot invest directly in an index. Comparisons to indexes have limitations because indexes have volatility and other material characteristics that may differ from a particular strategy such as the types or number of securities being substantially different. Individual investors’ results will vary. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index of 500 widely held stocks that is generally considered representative of the U.S. stock market. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA), commonly known as “The Dow” is an index representing 30 stocks of companies maintained and reviewed by the editors of the Wall Street Journal. The Nasdaq Composite Index is a market capitalization-weighted index of almost all the stocks listed on the Nasdaq stock exchange. It is a broad index that is heavily weighted toward the important information technology sector, followed by consumer discretionary and healthcare companies. The index is composed of both domestic and international companies.
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