Setting up a trust for our local boys' home is one of the most rewarding things I've ever done. My financial adviser helped me figure out how to do the most good with the money I had to give. And the rewards? They're greater than I ever imagined. Planning has really paid off for me!

Planned and charitable giving fulfills an important societal need. Not-for-profit organizations promote the arts, support religious beliefs, advance education, help the less fortunate and more. Without the generosity of donors, many of their good works wouldn't be possible. As if that weren't reason enough to give, thanks to income and estate tax laws, charitable giving is often as financially beneficial to the donor as it is to the gift's recipient. Individuals can give to their favorite causes, both during their lifetime and at death, and those gifts can take many forms. Immediate gifts (i.e., writing a check to your religious organization, sending appreciated stock or real estate to your alma mater or donating a valuable painting to a local museum) are most typical. Those gifts usually help donors reduce their income tax bills. But planned giving offers a host of other strategies you can use to help charities or loved ones with gifts made over a period of time or triggered at a future date. Search our database for information about Questions for Finding Your Financial Adviser - someone who can help you determine if charitable contributions or planned giving should be a part of your financial plan.

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