Here’s a case study to illustrate a scenario similar to what you might experience in your own practice.

When Mark and Elaine come into your office to update their estate and financial plans, retirement is only part of the future picture they’d like to discuss. At 66 and 64, they are financially secure—but the larger question looming in the background is the future of the family business. After three decades of ownership, they are beginning to explore a sale within the next few years.

The first part of your conversation is very familiar: income projections, portfolio sustainability, and how the family business’s corporate structure could evolve to allow Mark and Elaine to step back from day-to-day operations. If you are their financial advisor or CPA, you might run the models, stress-test assumptions, and outline what taxes and retirement could look like if a liquidity event occurs. If you are their estate planning attorney, you might review the company’s legal structure and emergency transition plans. 

In any case, you know the numbers are strong. A sale would more than fund Mark and Elaine’s lifetime needs. But as your conversation deepens, a more complex issue surfaces: what does succession look like—not just operationally, but reputationally and relationally?

“Our two adult children are not active in the business,” says Mark. “A third-party sale is inevitable, and we are fine with that financially, but it’s a gut punch emotionally.” A concerned expression crosses Mark’s face as he considers his feelings about a sale to non-family members. “The company’s name carries a lot of weight in the community,” he says. “For years, the business has been closely associated with the family’s identity and local impact. So what happens to that identity if we sell?” Mark wonders aloud.

Elaine’s concern is more inward-facing. “I really want our children to stay aligned after a liquidity event. For so many years, company events and trips have been where we’ve all gathered. I hate to think of that ‘glue’ disappearing in an instant.” Elaine says she has seen other families fracture after a business sale. “They barely see each other anymore,” she remarks.

This is where you introduce a broader planning lens. You validate that a business sale is not only a financial event. It is deeply personal and public at the same time. “How the family positions itself before, during, and after that transition can shape both community legitimacy and internal unity for decades,” you say. “So you both are spot on with your concerns.”

You suggest that philanthropy—structured intentionally before a sale—can serve as a bridge. What you mean is that Mark and Elaine could explore the option to transfer shares in the business to a donor-advised fund at IECF well in advance of any potential transaction. Then, when the business is sold, a portion of the proceeds lands in the donor-advised fund.

The tax advantages of the transaction are meaningful. By donating a portion of closely held stock before a legally binding sale process begins, Mark and Elaine are eligible for an income tax deduction, subject to AGI limitations, based on the stock’s fair market value at the time of the gift. Later, when the business is sold, the proceeds on the shares held by the donor-advised fund are not subject to capital gains tax.

Still, you emphasize that tax efficiency is only one layer.

Creating a donor-advised fund before the sale allows the family, working together, to articulate a charitable mission while the business is still operating. It signals continuity: although ownership may change, the family’s commitment to the community does not.

You suggest to Mark and Elaine that the IECF team join the next meeting. Of course, you remain responsible for facilitating the transaction and coordinating with other advisors. But IECF’s philanthropic advisors can facilitate conversations that go beyond the corporate, legal, financial, and tax aspects, leading a dialogue focused on questions that will shape the family’s philanthropy plan, such as:

• What causes reflect the values that built the business?

• How should the family’s name be represented post-sale?

• What governance structure will guide the next generation’s involvement?

You also share with Mark and Elaine that IECF can host structured family meetings, provide community needs assessments, and introduce best practices for multigenerational philanthropy. Importantly, this gives the children a meaningful role before liquidity occurs. Instead of simply awaiting proceeds, they begin working together to recommend grants, evaluate impact, and represent the family publicly.

In effect, philanthropy becomes a training ground for shared decision-making—without the operational risk of running a company.

Mark and Elaine love this suggestion. “Let’s do it,” Elaine says. “This plan makes us feel like a future sale is less like an ending and more like a pivot.” 

Mark and Elaine’s situation is one of many examples of cases where a family business may eventually change hands. But through an intentional philanthropic structure—designed in coordination with IECF—the family’s influence, values, and unity continue. It is our pleasure to help you serve your charitable clients through all stages of their lives. 

Please reach out to our Charitable Giving Team anytime. Stay up to date on all the good work we’re doing through the power of philanthropy – sign up for our eNewsletter, Philanthropy Matters, today.

The team at IECF is honored to serve as a resource and sounding board as you help your clients build their charitable plans and pursue their philanthropic objectives for making a difference in the community. This newsletter is provided for informational purposes only. It is not intended as legal, accounting, or financial planning advice. Please consult your tax or legal advisor to learn how this information might apply to your own situation.

The post Case study: Business owners exit with a family legacy appeared first on IECF.

In two recent rulings, the underlying message is consistent: Courts and the IRS continue to apply the technical requirements governing charitable deductions with precision. Your clients’ good intentions are not enough. 

Strict substantiation: A familiar but critical reminder

Gibson v. Commissioner serves as yet another reminder that it is really important for your clients to substantiate their charitable deductions. Time and again, both the IRS and the Tax Court have disallowed a taxpayer’s deduction because rules were not followed. In Gibson, a married couple claimed nearly $194,000 in noncash charitable contributions related to donated personal property. The court did not dispute that tangible items were transferred to a charitable organization. Instead, the deduction failed because the taxpayers did not satisfy the detailed substantiation requirements—specifically, contemporaneous written acknowledgments and qualified appraisal standards.

No matter how strong a client’s desire to make a difference through charitable donations, technical compliance drives deductibility. Form 8283 thresholds, appraisal rules, and acknowledgment language are not administrative formalities; they are statutory requirements. The Gibson case provides a practical example to share with clients who may be inclined to “drop off” significant in-kind gifts without first consulting their advisory team. 

Here’s the key takeaway: Even though you as an attorney, CPA, or financial advisor may fully understand the importance of following the rules, you still need to remind your clients regularly. You don’t want a client to ask “Why didn’t you tell us?” when they learn the hard way that they should have kept better records. 

Exempt status is not forever

The lesson in Milk Saving Starving Children Foundation v. Commissioner is that if you say you’ve got milk, you’d better have milk! In Milk, the Tax Court upheld the IRS’s revocation of 501(c)(3) status for an organization that failed to operate exclusively for charitable purposes and conferred impermissible private benefits. The organization’s stated mission—to distribute milk—was in fact charitable. Over time, though, its operations drifted away from distributing milk to operating a coffee shop and hosting a golf tournament. 

Here’s why we’re sharing this case:

-The Tax Court’s written opinion in Milk provides a terrific overview of the legal principles behind one of the cornerstones of tax-exempt status: a charity’s ongoing activities must further its exempt purposes. As you bring new attorneys, CPAs, and financial advisors into your practice, the Milk case is simply terrific for training purposes. 

-As it applies to your client work, remember the Milk case when a client expresses interest in supporting a lesser-known or newly formed organization. Please reach out to IECF in these instances because our team can provide insight on any charitable organization, whether well-established or new—and offer safeguards through field-of-interest funds and other vehicles.

Thank you for the opportunity to work together to serve your charitable clients! Our goal, as always, is to serve as a practical resource—helping you ensure that your clients’ charitable intentions are fulfilled with clarity, compliance, and confidence.

Please reach out to our Charitable Giving Team anytime. Stay up to date on all the good work we’re doing through the power of philanthropy – sign up for our eNewsletter, Philanthropy Matters, today.

The team at IECF is honored to serve as a resource and sounding board as you help your clients build their charitable plans and pursue their philanthropic objectives for making a difference in the community. This newsletter is provided for informational purposes only. It is not intended as legal, accounting, or financial planning advice. Please consult your tax or legal advisor to learn how this information might apply to your own situation.

The post Documentation is no joke and coffee is not milk: Two vital tax rulings appeared first on IECF.

March is an especially good time to reflect on the evolving role of women in philanthropy because it’s Women’s History Month. Increasingly, women are leading charitable decisions in their families, especially as more women are serving as primary financial decision-makers, according to Indiana University’s Lilly Family School of Philanthropy’s Women Give 2024: 20 Years of Gender & Giving Trends.

Two scenarios are driving this change:

–In many families, a leadership shift happens gradually. For example, a daughter becomes more engaged over the years in conversations about the family’s charitable giving. Or a spouse who once deferred philanthropic decisions begins to shape priorities more directly. 

–In other cases, the transition is sudden and deeply personal—often following the death of a spouse or parent—when a woman assumes sole responsibility for stewarding both financial assets and charitable intent.

Here are four examples of how your awareness of these trends can play out in your day-to-day practice:

Help your clients give through thick and thin.

According to the Women Give 2024 study, over the past two decades, single women experienced a smaller decline in charitable participation than single men, and their average giving amounts held steadier or increased in certain contexts (e.g., secular causes during COVID-19). Be aware of this trend as you represent single women; it may be a priority for them to continue giving even when times are tough. IECF can help you develop a charitable giving plan to enable women-led philanthropy to continue through life’s ups and downs.

Discuss national trends and local needs. 

According to the Women’s Philanthropy Institute at Indiana University’s Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, for the first time, between 2022 and 2023, giving to women’s and girls’ organizations surpassed 2% of overall charitable giving. This represents over $11 billion going to women’s and girls’ organizations each year. Note, however, that when adjusted for inflation, the amount actually declined between 2021 and 2023. This trend is worth mentioning to clients, especially with the help of the IECF team to share parallel local trends and opportunities to make an impact.

Ask about all forms of philanthropy.

According to the 2025 Bank of America Study of Philanthropy: Charitable Giving by Affluent Households, 43% of affluent households volunteered in 2024, up from 37% in 2022—volunteers tend to give more and support causes more deeply, a pattern often stronger among women. Be sure to ask your female clients about causes they support both financially and through volunteerism. 

Tailor advice for single women.

Research shows that participation trends vary by household type, with single women maintaining more consistent giving patterns over long periods. Pay particular attention to building thoughtful charitable giving plans for single-woman households. IECF can help maximize both impact and financial planning goals as you serve these clients.

As is the case when you are working with any charitable client, our team is honored to be your partner. Whether your client is establishing a new structure, building a comprehensive strategy around an existing donor-advised or other type of fund, or navigating inherited philanthropic responsibilities, we are here to help ensure their giving reflects both enduring legacy and evolving purpose.

Please reach out to our Charitable Giving Team anytime. Stay up to date on all the good work we’re doing through the power of philanthropy – sign up for our eNewsletter, Philanthropy Matters, today.

The team at IECF is honored to serve as a resource and sounding board as you help your clients build their charitable plans and pursue their philanthropic objectives for making a difference in the community. This newsletter is provided for informational purposes only. It is not intended as legal, accounting, or financial planning advice. Please consult your tax or legal advisor to learn how this information might apply to your own situation.

The post Women and philanthropy: Four insights to inform your practice appeared first on IECF.

The inaugural cycle of the Build Coachella Valley Fund focused on addressing food insecurity across the region, distributing critical support to local organizations serving Valley residents. Building on that foundation, BCVF is now focused on investing in initiatives that advance Lifelong Learning and Meaningful Work & Wealth, strengthening opportunity, resilience, and economic mobility across the Valley.

“From highlighting the need to address and proactively counter food insecurity, to taking on the task and the joys of lifelong learning that supports a productive and enlightened workforce, BCVF tackles some of the most important concerns of the residents of the Coachella Valley. It is an honor to work with this group to find solutions for so many of our Valley neighbors who seek assistance.” – Vicki Willock, BCVF Leadership Committee member, Western Wind Foundation.

“When my husband and I moved to the Valley — specifically Cathedral City — I immediately knew this was a place where neighbors support one another. I’m proud that BCVF raised and distributed $161,000 to eight organizations addressing food insecurity, and I’m thrilled that this year we are investing in programs that build skills and expand educational opportunities to create sustainable employment in underserved communities.” – Walter Gendell, BCVF Leadership Committee member, Community Leader.

Donate through Tuesday, March 3 and anytime after to help build a stronger, more resilient Coachella Valley for all.

Donate Today

Please reach out to our Charitable Giving Team anytime. Stay up to date on all the good work we’re doing through the power of philanthropy – sign up for our eNewsletter, Philanthropy Matters, today.

The post Building Opportunity Together: Support the Build Coachella Valley Fund on CV Giving Day appeared first on IECF.

when they start to think about parting with their real estate.

Things might begin to change, however, as real estate ownership changes hands at a rapid pace in the midst of a major transfer of wealth over the coming years. Gen X and Millennials are expected to potentially inherit trillions of dollars in real estate, and that shift has important implications for charitable giving. As more families hold significant wealth in property rather than cash, philanthropy will increasingly involve non-cash assets, especially appreciated real estate. At the same time, many clients are reassessing properties they already own, particularly vacation homes that once felt like a dream but now feel underused, costly, or burdensome. 

Given these shifting market dynamics, it is important to be aware of how real estate can be repurposed to support charitable goals in a tax-efficient way. Here are six points to keep in mind:

—Gifts of long-term capital assets, including real estate, are typically eligible for a charitable deduction based on the property’s fair market value, rather than its original cost when they’re given to a public charity. You’ll want to confirm that the property qualifies as a long-term capital asset, since the fair market value deduction is available only for property held for more than one year. 

—Your clients can make gifts of real estate to a donor-advised or other type of fund at IECF. Because IECF is a public charity, when the property is sold, the proceeds can flow into the fund without triggering capital gains tax. This allows a client to convert an illiquid or burdensome asset into a flexible charitable resource that can support favorite causes over time.

—Before your client sets in motion a gift of real estate, please reach out to the IECF team to help evaluate and coordinate the viability of the gift, as well as offer options for the types of fund or funds to receive the proceeds to achieve your client’s charitable goals. 

—Additional considerations include confirming that the property is not encumbered by a mortgage or other debt, which can complicate the gift, evaluating whether depreciation recapture or unrelated business income tax could apply, and determining whether environmental due diligence is required. 

—As is the case with any gift of an illiquid asset, documentation and process are critical. Your client must obtain a qualified appraisal to establish fair market value and properly report the gift on Form 8283, and the transfer must be completed using appropriate legal documents, including a deed. 

—You’ll also want to ensure that the client has not prearranged a sale of the property (even through casual conversations), which could jeopardize the deduction under the IRS’s anticipatory assignment of income rules or step transaction doctrine. 

Although the technical requirements can seem daunting, the payoff of a real estate gift can be substantial for both your client and the community. IECF is here to help with the charitable aspects of all types of gifts, and real estate is no exception. We look forward to working with you and your clients to help transform real estate into a powerful tool for lasting charitable impact.

Please reach out to our Charitable Giving Team anytime. Stay up to date on all the good work we’re doing through the power of philanthropy – sign up for our eNewsletter, Philanthropy Matters, today.

The team at IECF is honored to serve as a resource and sounding board as you help your clients build their charitable plans and pursue their philanthropic objectives for making a difference in the community. This newsletter is provided for informational purposes only. It is not intended as legal, accounting, or financial planning advice. Please consult your tax or legal advisor to learn how this information might apply to your own situation.

The post Worth a look: Charitable gifts of real estate appeared first on IECF.

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 the IRS?

Under long-standing IRS guidance, a charitable contribution is generally considered “made” for tax purposes when the donor irrevocably parts with control of the gift. For contributions made by check and sent through the mail, the IRS has traditionally treated the date of the U.S. Postal Service postmark as the date of the gift, even if the charity receives the check later. This approach is reflected in IRS Publication 526 and generally parallels the broader “mailbox rule” under Internal Revenue Code Section 7502, which treats certain documents and payments as timely based on their postmark date rather than the date of receipt. 

Okay, so if this is not an IRS issue, what happened?

In November 2025, the U.S. Postal Service (not the IRS) changed how postmarks are applied. Effective December 24, 2025, the official postmark date is now defined as the date of the first automated processing scan at a USPS processing facility, rather than the date a letter is dropped in a mailbox or handed to a clerk at a local post office. As a result, mail deposited on December 31, 2025 may not have actually received a postmark until several days later, especially around the holidays. This change took many people by surprise and created a lot of confusion, prompting the USPS to issue a “facts and myths” circular. 

So what’s this got to do with the IRS?

Because the IRS’s practices continue to rely on the postmark to establish the date of a mailed charitable gift, this change can cause a contribution a client intended to deduct for 2025 to be treated as a 2026 contribution if the postmark reflects a January processing date.

If my client got caught up in this change, is the client totally out of luck for a 2025 charitable deduction? 

Not necessarily. Remember, the underlying IRS rules governing charitable contribution timing have not changed. Publication 526 still requires your clients to “substantiate”—meaning document—the date of their gift, and the IRS continues to look at objective evidence to substantiate and determine when the contribution was made. What has changed is the ability to rely entirely on an ordinary envelope postmark as proof of a year-end gift. (Advisors should understand that the statutory mailbox rule in Section 7502 is primarily directed at tax filings and payments to the IRS, but in practice the IRS uses similar concepts when evaluating the timing of charitable gifts, particularly where the postmark is the primary evidence of mailing.)

Okay, it sounds like all is not lost. What should I do to help my client?

If a client was caught up in this rule change at the end of 2025, the first step is to gather and preserve any alternative proof that establishes when the gift was actually mailed. Documentation such as a USPS Certificate of Mailing, a certified or registered mail receipt, or a manually applied postmark or postage validation imprint obtained at the retail counter can help demonstrate that the donor relinquished control of the gift before year-end, even if the automated processing postmark is later. Even where the client has such postal documentation, contemporaneous records such as copies of the check, the client’s notes, and any correspondence with the charity should also be retained in the event the deduction is questioned. In other words, you may be able to build a case to support a client’s deduction for 2025.

What should clients do for 2026 and beyond? 

Advisors should counsel clients on how to avoid this issue going forward. Electronic giving methods such as online donations, ACH or wire transfers, and completed transfers of publicly traded securities provide clearer and more immediate timestamps for deduction purposes and do not depend on postal processing practices. 

How can IECF help?

Reach out to our team early in the year! Many clients find themselves rushing around at year-end to make charitable donations. The change in the postal rules is a terrific reason to remind a client that organizing charitable giving through a donor-advised fund at IECF allows the client to make a donation for tax purposes to the donor-advised fund well before the end of the year, thereby securing any applicable charitable deduction, and then recommending grants from the donor-advised fund anytime to favorite charities.

As always, we look forward to serving you and your clients! 

Please reach out to our Charitable Giving Team anytime. Stay up to date on all the good work we’re doing through the power of philanthropy – sign up for our eNewsletter, Philanthropy Matters, today.

The team at IECF is honored to serve as a resource and sounding board as you help your clients build their charitable plans and pursue their philanthropic objectives for making a difference in the community. This newsletter is provided for informational purposes only. It is not intended as legal, accounting, or financial planning advice. Please consult your tax or legal advisor to learn how this information might apply to your own situation.

The post Postmarks, rule changes, and remedies for clients’ 2025 charitable gifts appeared first on IECF.

Research and survey results tell us that many clients’ most consequential estate and financial planning activities arise not from long-term intentions, but from sudden change. Moments like this are challenging because clients are often overwhelmed and unsure how to proceed, and even the best advice can feel like too much information delivered too soon. In these situations, be aware that charitable planning can help re-anchor clients’ decision-making in values rather than fear or urgency. For many clients, generosity is one of the few topics that still feels familiar when everything else is shifting.

Here are three examples:

Change in assets

Following a divorce settlement, a client may suddenly be holding cash, concentrated stock, or other highly appreciated assets. The client may also be juggling other priorities: adjusting lifestyle expectations, supporting adult children, and rethinking an estate plan. When the client also wants to do something charitable but isn’t sure yet what organizations to support, setting up a donor-advised fund at IECF can be a natural fit in some cases, allowing the client to be eligible for a tax deduction when the contribution is made while taking time to decide which charities to support and when.

Loss of a spouse 

A client whose spouse has recently passed away may want to make a charitable gift in the spouse’s memory, but likes the idea that the gift could benefit the community for many generations and address urgent needs that arise decades from now. Setting up an unrestricted fund at IECF allows a client to support evolving community needs over time as well as support the mission of IECF itself. 

Retirement

A 74-year-old client who just retired is feeling less “relevant” outside of the workforce and therefore would like to do something meaningful for the community. With plenty of assets in retirement accounts, the client does not need to rely on distributions from IRAs to maintain lifestyle standards. This client could be a good candidate to establish a designated fund (to support a specific nonprofit organization) or a field-of-interest fund (to support an area of need such as education, health care, or the arts) at IECF. Then, the client may direct Qualified Charitable Distributions from IRAs (up to $111,000 per taxpayer in 2026) to the fund, bypassing adjusted gross income and counting toward required minimum distributions. 

IECF is happy to help. Next time you are meeting with a client who is experiencing one of life’s inevitable rough patches, remember that charitable planning allows your client to take action that brings joy, reflects identity, aligns with purpose, and helps the client shift from a reactive mode to an intentional one. 

Please reach out to our Charitable Giving Team anytime. Stay up to date on all the good work we’re doing through the power of philanthropy – sign up for our eNewsletter, Philanthropy Matters, today.

The team at IECF is honored to serve as a resource and sounding board as you help your clients build their charitable plans and pursue their philanthropic objectives for making a difference in the community. This newsletter is provided for informational purposes only. It is not intended as legal, accounting, or financial planning advice. Please consult your tax or legal advisor to learn how this information might apply to your own situation.

The post Sudden life changes: Charitable giving can help clients get through it appeared first on IECF.

Whether you are considering establishing your first fund with IECF or considering adding another fund to complement the ones you already have, it can be helpful to step back and look at how different options support different goals.

Donor-advised fund 

Donor-advised funds are one of the most popular “baseline” charitable giving tools because they make it simple to support a wide range of nonprofits while maintaining a clear, organized approach to philanthropy. With a donor-advised fund, you can make contributions of cash, stock, or other property at your convenience, and these gifts are eligible for a charitable tax deduction in the year of the gift. Separately, the donor-advised fund allows you to recommend grants to your favorite IRS-qualified charities over time. You can select a name for your donor-advised fund and, if you choose, limit how much personal information is shared with recipient organizations.

Designated fund

Perhaps you are instead (or also) focused on making a lasting impact on a single organization that has played an important role in your life. In that case, a designated fund may be the right addition to your charitable portfolio. A designated fund provides ongoing, predictable support to a specific nonprofit—either through regular distributions or grants made as needed. Because IECF provides stewardship of the fund’s assets, a designated fund offers stability and continuity for the organization it benefits. This type of fund can be especially helpful if you want to “bunch” multiple years of giving into a single year for tax purposes while ensuring continued support for a favorite charity over time. Plus, if you are age 70 ½ or older, a designated fund (unlike a donor-advised fund) can receive Qualified Charitable Distributions from your IRA. 

Unrestricted fund or field-of-interest fund

Some donors are drawn to a different approach: addressing the community’s most pressing needs, both now and in the future, while relying on professional insight to guide that work. For these donors, an unrestricted fund offers powerful flexibility. Unrestricted funds allow IECF to direct resources where they are needed most as circumstances change—whether that means responding to a crisis, supporting emerging opportunities, or addressing long-term challenges. These funds play a critical role in the community’s ability to adapt and thrive, and they create a legacy of giving that remains relevant for generations. A field-of-interest is similar to an unrestricted fund, except that you can name a specific area of need, such as the arts, education, or emergency assistance, to receive support from the fund. If you are age 70 ½ or older, remember that both unrestricted and field-of-interest funds are eligible recipients of Qualified Charitable Distributions.

Adopt a portfolio approach

Many donors choose to establish more than one type of fund over time, building a thoughtful and diversified approach to philanthropy that reflects both their values and their evolving priorities. 

Wherever you are along your charitable giving journey, IECF is here to help. It is our privilege to partner with you, provide guidance, and support your generosity in ways that strengthen the community we all care about. Please reach out anytime—we would love to talk with you.

Please reach out to our Charitable Giving Team anytime. Stay up to date on all the good work we’re doing through the power of philanthropy – sign up for our eNewsletter, Philanthropy Matters, today.

The team at the community foundation is honored to serve as a resource and sounding board as you build your charitable plans and pursue your philanthropic objectives for making a difference in the community. This newsletter is provided for informational purposes only. It is not intended as legal, accounting, or financial planning advice. Please consult your tax or legal advisor to learn how this information might apply to your own situation.

The post What type of fund, or funds, is right for you? appeared first on IECF.

Uncertain times often cause people to pause and reassess. Whether the uncertainty comes from markets, employment changes, health concerns, or the general feeling that the world is unpredictable, it is natural to wonder what this means for your financial plan. For many donors, that uncertainty also raises a question about charitable giving: Should I slow down, stop, or continue?

There is no single right answer, and IECF will never suggest that you give beyond what feels sustainable. At the same time, many donors discover that the choice is not simply “give as usual” or “stop entirely.” Often, the best approach is to adjust your plan in a way that preserves generosity while matching your current reality.

Please reach out to the team at IECF to evaluate strategies that are the best fit for you. For example: 

–For many people, pacing is a practical strategy. In other words, instead of making one large gift, you might spread gifts across the year or across multiple years.

–Adjusting how much you give is always an option. Some donors shift from larger one-time gifts to steady recurring gifts because it feels easier to manage. Other donors do the opposite: they make an early-year gift when they feel confident and then reassess later. 

–Some donors choose to continue supporting a core group of organizations while reducing the number of additional gifts they make. 

–Other donors focus on supporting immediate and urgent needs identified by IECF, and then returning to broader giving later.

For people who have established a fund at IECF, flexibility is often one of the biggest benefits. If you use a donor-advised fund, you can contribute when it makes sense for your situation, then recommend grants over time. If you prefer a more defined approach, other types of funds may provide the structure you want while still allowing you to respond to changing community needs.

Uncertainty can also be a moment to revisit why you give. Many donors find that charitable giving is one of the most grounding parts of their lives when things feel unsettled. Giving can be a way to stay connected to the community, reinforce values, and help stabilize organizations that serve people who are struggling. For that reason, some donors choose to continue giving even if they adjust the pace or the focus.

IECF is here to help you think through these choices without pressure. We can help you evaluate options that fit your goals, connect you with information about community needs, and support you in building a plan that feels both meaningful and sustainable. If you are feeling uncertain, reach out. Often, a brief conversation can clarify what generosity can look like in this season—and help you feel confident about your next step.

Please reach out to our Charitable Giving Team anytime. Stay up to date on all the good work we’re doing through the power of philanthropy – sign up for our eNewsletter, Philanthropy Matters, today.

The team at the community foundation is honored to serve as a resource and sounding board as you build your charitable plans and pursue your philanthropic objectives for making a difference in the community. This newsletter is provided for informational purposes only. It is not intended as legal, accounting, or financial planning advice. Please consult your tax or legal advisor to learn how this information might apply to your own situation.

The post Eye on the storms: Keep giving appeared first on IECF.

Many individuals and families spend a great deal of time setting up a charitable plan they feel good about. For example, they establish a donor-advised or other types of funds at IECF, update IRA beneficiary designations so that the fund receives the proceeds, and leave general instructions about the types of causes they want to support. Then life moves on, and the plan sits quietly in place—often for years—while the individual or family assumes everything will work exactly as intended.

The challenge is that charitable plans can outlive the paperwork. Over time, family structures change, attorneys and financial advisors retire, organizations merge or shift direction, and donors’ own priorities evolve. Even when your charitable intentions remain strong, the documents that express those intentions can become outdated without anyone noticing. This can create confusion later, especially for family members or advisors who are trying to carry out your wishes during a stressful time.

A simple way to avoid this is to treat charitable planning the way you treat other important parts of your financial life: review it periodically. That does not mean you need to overhaul your plan every year. It simply means taking a moment to confirm that what is written down still reflects what you want.

For example, if you have a donor-advised fund at IECF, it is a great idea to meet with our team once a year to review where things stand. We’ll go over key information such as:

–Confirming that successor advisor designations are current and that the people you named still understand and are willing to carry out your wishes

–Evaluating the idea of leaving a portion of your fund to support IECF’s mission following your death

–Confirming that your attorney has included the correct fund name and language in your will or trust

–If you have named your fund as a beneficiary of a retirement account or life insurance policy, confirming that the fund is correctly named and that your tax and financial advisors have copies for their records

–Considering ways to get more involved with charitable giving during your lifetime, such as by including children and grandchildren in decision-making

–Developing a brief statement of purpose to maintain in IECF’s permanent file that explains why you care about certain causes and what you hope their giving will accomplish over time

Please remember that it is our pleasure to meet with you for these check-ins! IECF is your home for charitable giving, and we are here for you. 

Even a brief conversation once a year can give you peace of mind and strengthen the long-term impact of your giving.

Please reach out to our Charitable Giving Team anytime. Stay up to date on all the good work we’re doing through the power of philanthropy – sign up for our eNewsletter, Philanthropy Matters, today.

The team at the community foundation is honored to serve as a resource and sounding board as you build your charitable plans and pursue your philanthropic objectives for making a difference in the community. This newsletter is provided for informational purposes only. It is not intended as legal, accounting, or financial planning advice. Please consult your tax or legal advisor to learn how this information might apply to your own situation.

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