This month, our annual charitable giving issue will mark the start of a year full of charitable giving articles, e-newsletter columns, e-books, webinars and events. Philanthropy is becoming an increasingly important part of charitable planning. And, it’s constantly in a state of transition. As Bruce DeBoskey notes in his article “Emerging Trends in Philanthropy,” p. 11, charitable giving is changing, with innovations, new tools and more resources. In addition, there are controversies swirling around various charitable issues (for example, how donor-advised funds are being used, as detailed in “Donor-Advised Funds: Is Additional Regulation Required?” p. 35, by Jennifer Pagnillo and Bion Piepmeier). To make matters even more complicated, there’s always some potential new legislation floating around that could limit charitable deductions. But, as board member Robert F. Sharpe, Jr. has pointed out to me on more than one occasion, practitioners need to focus less on philanthropy as a tax saving scheme and more on philanthropy as a way to achieve a client’s charitable goals.
With that in mind, we plan to bring you an array of material to keep you up-to-date on what’s happening in the charitable giving world. Our October issue is just the beginning, but it’s a great start. In addition to the articles mentioned above, we also cover the impact of low interest rates on charitable planning; how to avoid potential traps when making charitable gifts of real estate; the best way to work with young tech clients; the effect of the alternative minimum tax on charitable planning; the carried interest funded charitable lead annuity trust; matching a gift with a charity’s goals; and making sure you’re effectively communicating with your clients about charitable giving strategies.
Our first webinar will cover charitable lead trusts (and making the most of this strategy) and will take place on Oct. 6 at 2 p.m. Eastern time. Our presenters will be Jaclyn S. O’Leary and Jennifer Pagnillo of Day Pitney LLP.
