Blog

March 7, 2024

Tax time has its silver linings! Going over a tax return with a client helps start a productive conversation about ways to plan gifts to charity more effectively. As you scan 2023’s charitable contributions, talk with the client about whether those charitable gifts were made with cash or with other assets and then steer the […]

The gifts Americans give to charity every year provide critical support for more than a million organizations that are helping sustain the quality of life in our communities. Philanthropy equates to 2% of GDP–that’s a little more than the home health care services sector! And, trust is growing as a must-have prerequisite before your clients […]

If you’re not talking about charitable giving with your high net-worth clients, 2024 is the year to start doing it! Recent studies show that 85.1% of affluent households give to charity. Certainly many of your clients are among them.  Take a few minutes this month to scan your client list for three common scenarios and […]

January 3, 2024

2023 was a busy year! We understand that charitable giving topics may not always be at the top of your reading list. That’s why we’re here! Our team at Arkansas Community Foundation is committed to keeping you up-to-date on what you need to know. Here’s a recap of five key developments last year that are […]

December 5, 2023

Helping families create a meaningful structure for their philanthropy has long been a hallmark service of the Community Foundation. That structure and the resulting discipline are increasingly important as both wealth and charitable giving more frequently span multiple generations. Indeed, spontaneous and unstructured conversations around wealth and philanthropy can be a source of family discord.  […]

December 5, 2023

Perhaps you established a donor advised fund at the Community Foundation years ago, or you set up a donor advised fund more recently. Or maybe you are considering establishing a donor advised fund at the Community Foundation this year to help you keep your giving more organized and involve your children and grandchildren in your […]

Many eyes are on the Charitable Act, which, if passed, would allow for deductible charitable contributions that exceed the standard deduction. The Charitable Act proposes to restore the pandemic-era “universal charitable deduction” and raise the cap from $300 for individuals ($600 for joint filers) to approximately $4,600 for individuals ($9,200 for joint filers).  Some advisors […]

November 10, 2023

As an advisor, you often talk with your clients about life insurance–how much is enough and which policies are best suited for a client’s particular situation. As you counsel your clients about risk management and the role of life insurance in their estate plans, don’t forget that life insurance can be an effective charitable giving […]

November 10, 2023

Year-end giving makes up a significant portion of total revenue for most charitable organizations. Research even shows that a whopping 25% of online giving occurs in December! What this means is that there’s a pretty good chance your clients are already considering end-of-year gifts to support causes they care about, are being asked by at […]

Philanthropy means “love of humanity”—and, according to some, “philanthropy” includes acts that benefit both the giver and the receiver. This is surprising to some people who have been taught “it’s better to give than to receive.”  Somehow we have popularized the idea that giving should “hurt.” But that is not what the research says. Consider […]