What's a donor-advised fund?

A donor-advised fund (DAF) is a charitable account you contribute to in a given tax year, taking the deduction immediately, and then grant out to qualified charities over time. The major DAF sponsors handle administration. DAFs work especially well for front-loading multiple years of giving into a single high-income year.

Should I donate cash or appreciated stock?

Almost always appreciated stock if you've held it more than a year. Donating long-held appreciated securities avoids the capital gain tax you would owe if you sold it, and you still get a fair-market-value deduction. Donating cash takes a tax-efficient asset out of the picture.

A Qualified Charitable Distribution is a direct transfer from your IRA to a qualified charity. Available once you're 70 1/2, up to $105,000 per year (2024 limit, indexed annually). The distribution counts toward your required minimum distribution but isn't included in taxable income.

Do I need a private foundation?

Private foundations generally make sense for very large estates where the family wants formal governance, employment for family members, and structured grant-making over generations. For most clients, a donor-advised fund accomplishes similar charitable goals with less administrative burden.

What's a Charitable Remainder Trust?

A Charitable Remainder Trust is an irrevocable trust that pays you or someone you name an income stream for life or a term of years, with the remainder going to charity. It can provide an immediate partial charitable deduction, allow appreciated assets to be sold without immediate capital gains tax, and create an income stream.

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Charitable Giving Strategies That Honor Intent And Tax Math.

Charitable giving strategies handled across donor-advised funds, charitable trusts, QCDs from IRAs, and the structure that actually fits your tax situation and your intent.

Schedule A Consultation Call (561) 210-7339

Fiduciary CFP® DAF Strategy QCD Coordination Attorney-Coordinated

WHY CLIENTS CHOOSE US

There are good reasons to give. There are also better ways to do it.

Donor-advised funds

DAFs are the workhorse vehicle for most clients. Front-load deductions, give over time, and avoid the administrative burden of a private foundation.

Appreciated securities, not cash

Donating long-held appreciated stock instead of cash eliminates the capital gain and produces a deduction at fair market value. Significantly better tax math.

QCDs from IRAs

Once you're 70 1/2, Qualified Charitable Distributions move money directly from your IRA to a qualified charity, satisfying RMDs without the income hit.

Charitable trusts when they fit

Charitable Remainder Trusts (CRT) and Charitable Lead Trusts (CLT) for the right situations, coordinated with your estate attorney.

Long-term, not transactional

We meet on a real cadence, usually quarterly. The plan flexes as your life and the tax code change. Most relationships span decades.

South Florida-rooted, nationally licensed

Offices in Boca Raton and Plantation, plus licensed in all 50 states. Existing clients keep us when they move.

What we cover.

Donor-advised funds. DAF setup, contribution strategy, front-loading multiple years of giving into one high-income year, and ongoing grant-making coordination.

Appreciated securities giving. Donating long-held stock or fund positions instead of cash, avoiding the capital gains tax, and getting a fair-market-value deduction.

Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs). For clients over 70 1/2, moving up to $105,000 per year (2024 limit, indexed) directly from an IRA to charity, counting toward RMDs without adding to taxable income.

Charitable Remainder Trusts (CRTs). For clients with highly appreciated assets who want income for life plus a charitable legacy. Requires an estate attorney to draft.

Charitable Lead Trusts (CLTs). For high-net-worth clients aiming to reduce estate tax exposure while making charitable gifts over a period of years.

Estate-level giving. Charitable bequests in the will or trust, beneficiary designations on retirement accounts, and the legacy framing that ties giving to the overall estate plan.

How we think about charitable strategy.

The first job is figuring out the intent. Is the giving driven by tax exposure (a high-income year you want to offset), legacy (what gets left to causes you care about), ongoing values (consistent annual giving to organizations you support), or some combination? The right vehicle depends on the answer.

For most clients the answer is a donor-advised fund, possibly paired with QCDs in the IRA years. For some clients with highly appreciated assets or specific legacy goals, charitable trusts are the right structure. For a small group with private-foundation-level scale, that conversation goes a different direction.

Coordination matters. Charitable trusts are estate-attorney work; we coordinate, we don't draft. Donor-advised funds are typically set up through major sponsors (Fidelity Charitable, Schwab Charitable, etc.) where we've full visibility into the contributions and grants. Either way, we make sure the tax planning, the estate plan, and the actual giving line up.

RELATED SERVICES

Where charitable giving fits.

Charitable strategy connects to several other areas of planning:

Tax Planning

Charitable giving timing is one of the biggest year-end tax planning levers.

See tax planning

Estate Planning

Charitable bequests, beneficiary designations, and trust structures fit inside the broader estate plan.

See estate planning

Trust Planning

Charitable trusts are a specific category of trust we coordinate with your attorney.

See trust planning

Who This Is For

Common charitable giving situations.

Charitable strategy is most active in these moments:

Business Owners Selling Executives With Equity Liquidity Events Pre-Retirees in QCD Years Inheritors With Tax Exposure Widows Considering Legacy

What we don't do.

Contact Us Today

We don't lead with proprietary products, structured notes, or non-traded REITs as a portfolio building block. We don't take custody of your assets. We don't promise market-beating returns. The honest answer is that nobody who has to tell the truth to a regulator can.

More From The Estate & Inheritance Blog

Posts our planning team has put together on this topic.

June 17, 2026

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June 17, 2026

Making a Charitable Contribution

There are benefits and limitations when you decide to donate stock.

August 28, 2025

Year-End Charitable Gifting and You

This article may help you maximize the benefits of your donation for your chosen charity.

August 11, 2025

How the SECURE Act 2.0 Changed RMDs

Understand how SECURE Act 2.0 affects RMDs and how using a QCD can possibly benefit both taxes and charitable goals.

February 11, 2025

Understanding Qualified Charitable Distributions

Use this handy, informative article to help your clients understand Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs).

May 20, 2024

Making a Charitable Gift

Did you know that there are benefits and limitations when you decide to donate stock? Learn more about your options.

May 23, 2022

Investing for Impact

Learn how to build a socially conscious investment portfolio and invest in your beliefs.

Schedule Your Free Consultation

No obligation. We respond the same business day.

QUESTIONS, ANSWERED
Common questions about Charitable Giving

A donor-advised fund (DAF) is a charitable account you contribute to in a given tax year, taking the deduction immediately, and then grant out to qualified charities over time. The major DAF sponsors (Fidelity Charitable, Schwab Charitable, others) handle administration. DAFs work especially well for front-loading multiple years of giving into a single high-income year.
Almost always appreciated stock if you've held it more than a year. Donating long-held appreciated securities avoids the capital gain tax you would owe if you sold it, and you still get a fair-market-value deduction. Donating cash takes a perfectly good tax-efficient asset out of the picture.
A Qualified Charitable Distribution is a direct transfer from your IRA to a qualified charity. Available once you're 70 1/2, up to $105,000 per year (2024 limit, indexed annually). The distribution counts toward your required minimum distribution but isn't included in taxable income. For charitably inclined retirees, it's often the single most efficient way to give.
Probably not. Private foundations make sense for very large estates (typically tens of millions and above) where the family wants formal governance, employment for family members, and structured grant-making over generations. For most clients a donor-advised fund accomplishes the same charitable goals with much less administrative burden.
A CRT is an irrevocable trust that pays you (or someone you name) an income stream for life or for a term of years, with the remainder going to a charity at the end. You get an immediate partial charitable deduction, the trust can sell appreciated assets without immediate capital gains tax, and you get income for the term. Setup requires an estate attorney; we coordinate the planning and the funding.

Find Us

Two offices, one team.

Boca Raton (Home Office)

1200 North Federal Highway, Suite 300

Boca Raton, FL 33432

(561) 210-7339

Monday to Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM ET

Plantation

7901 SW 6th Court, Suite 320

Plantation, FL 33324

(954) 809-3553

Monday to Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM ET

Serving

South Florida cities and neighborhoods

Palm Beach County

Boca Raton Highland Beach Delray Beach Boynton Beach West Palm Beach Palm Beach Palm Beach Gardens

Broward County

Plantation Fort Lauderdale Coral Springs Weston Cooper City Parkland

Ready to talk about charitable giving?

The first meeting is a conversation, not a sales pitch. We'll talk about where you are, what you're working through, and whether Intercoastal is the right fit. In person in Boca Raton or Plantation, or by video from anywhere.

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Charitable Giving