Blog

October 6, 2023

At Arkansas Community Foundation, we regularly talk with retirement-age donors and fundholders about the tax benefits of directing Qualified Charitable Distributions to a designated fund, and/or leaving bequests of IRAs to a donor advised fund. But getting involved in philanthropy can be so much more than that. This is particularly relevant as some retirees consider […]

September 5, 2023

Business owners can deservedly daydream about the “extended vacation” that comes with selling a business!  While it all sounds good, business brokers will tell you that many business owners fail to optimize—and sometimes even compromise—the value of their business’s proceeds by rushing the process, hastily determining an asking price, or not fully assessing the value […]

September 5, 2023

Such a difference a year makes – maybe? By August 2022, markets were down 12% for the year and inflation was up 8.3% year-over-year. Perhaps consequently, but then unknown, annual charitable giving was on its way to a rare (fourth time in 40 years) year-over year decline of some 4% according to Giving USA. Certainly […]

Rarely does a month go by without the news of another disaster or humanitarian tragedy. Most recently, the Maui fires and Hurricane Idalia are making the headlines – and also generating widespread charitable support. Indeed, many of your clients are no doubt supporting relief efforts through monetary donations.   Disasters are both unpredictable and sadly, predictable. […]

July 7, 2023

Differing views within families is nothing new. For generations, common topics of disagreement have included: popular culture, politics, religion and parenting, just to name a few. Frequently outranking all is money: how it is made, how it should be spent, how much should be saved.  How benevolent families share money is a topic all its own. […]

July 7, 2023

At the Community Foundation, we regularly work with legal, financial, and tax advisors like you to help clients reach their charitable goals.  As a professional who regularly works with charitable clients, you are no doubt well aware of the tremendous benefits to both clients and charities when a client names a charity, such as a fund […]

June 7, 2023

With fears of economic downturn on the rise, many people are rightfully concerned about their finances. But in these moments, we also see a renewed interest in supporting charitable causes, begging the question — is there a way to save while you give? The short answer is yes! As you form your charitable goals for […]

As you talk with your clients about charitable giving, are you leading with tax benefits? Deferring philanthropy topics until November and December? Not looking at the big picture? According to a recent article, you may want to rethink your approach. The article points out the importance of engaging specialists to assist you in advising a […]

May 12, 2023

Over the last few months, many advisors have noticed an uptick in client inquiries about leaving their IRAs and other retirement plans to charity. It likely has a lot to do with the buzz about Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs), which allow those who’ve reached the age of 70 ½ to direct up to $100,000 annually […]

April 17, 2023

If you get cross-eyed when you start reading about Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) and Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs), you are not alone! Given the December 2022 passage of SECURE 2.0 legislation, changes to RMD rules are especially important to understand if you are involved in charitable giving and have reached the age of 70 1/2.  What is an […]