Advisor Knowledge Hub
Tax law changes: Time to study up?
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act was signed into law by President Trump on July 4, 2025, after the House of Representatives approved the Senate’s changes to H.R. 1, which passed the House by a narrow...
Charitable mindset: What are clients thinking?
Don’t you wish you could read your clients’ minds? Understanding what clients really care about is crucial to constructing any estate or financial plan. When it comes to charitable giving, you can...
Start with numbers: A case study for charitable clients
As an estate planning, tax, or wealth advisor, you play a critical role in helping your clients maximize the impact of charitable giving while also optimizing tax benefits. Unfortunately, a 2023...
Easier than you might think: Moving a donor-advised fund to IECF
As you advise clients on charitable giving, you’re likely aware of the growing popularity of the donor-advised fund as a flexible, tax-efficient tool for philanthropy. Many families appreciate how...
Donating business interests: Why a fund at IECF is the ideal recipient
If your client base includes business owners, you probably weren’t surprised by this observation in a recent Wall Street Journal article about the “stealthy wealthy”: “Behind a paycheck, the largest...
More questions than answers: Pending tax legislation
There’s little doubt that you’ve seen extensive news coverage of the so-called "Big Beautiful Bill" (H.R. 1) that passed the House of Representatives by a 215-214 vote on May 22, 2025, and now moves...
Philanthropy: It’s a marathon, not a sprint
As 2025 continues to deliver twists and turns, it’s important to keep talking about philanthropy. Charitable giving is a vital strategy for your clients, even in times of economic uncertainty. Here...
A happier alternative? Moving from a private foundation to a donor advised fund (DAF)
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...
Charitable remainder trusts: What, where, who, why, when, and how?
If you’ve represented charitable families over the years, you’ve certainly heard the term “charitable remainder trust,” sometimes called a “CRT.” You might have even helped clients set them up. For...
Weighing the options: Private foundation or donor-advised fund?
When you’re working on the charitable components of a client’s estate or financial plan, one of the first areas you’ll likely explore is the structure. Certainly, you are familiar with both...
Trust matters: Your clients’ go-to resource for community impact
As attorneys, CPAs, and financial advisors, you know very well that trust is at the foundation of your relationships with clients. Your clients are seeking a similar level of trust with the people...
Refresher course: Charitable gift annuities
Several advisors have shared with us recently that they’re fielding more questions about charitable gift annuities (CGAs). It’s quite possible that CGAs are landing on clients’ radars these days for...
Tax time blues: Why is this so hard?
After the holiday glow has finally worn off, your clients may be hit with a sinking realization that it’s time to pull together tax information and start working with their CPAs, financial advisors,...
Caught by surprise? In case you missed it, here’s what’s going on with 2025 tax legislation
Keeping up with an ever-evolving landscape of tax legislation can be a full-time job! Many attorneys, CPAs, and financial advisors regularly ask IECF to provide a refresher course on the potential...
Generational shifts: Fulfilling clients’ charitable wishes
Chances are, you’ve already begun to notice that a major transfer of wealth is happening as your Baby Boomer clients establish financial and estate plans to pass their wealth to their Gen X and...
