Charitable Giving Strategies
Donation Advisors in Howard County, MD
Whether you’re looking to increase your tax deductions or need assistance developing a charitable endeavor, our trained financial specialists are committed to exceeding your expectations. At Geier Asset Management, our Howard County area advisors have extensive experience assisting clients with charitable giving plans.
As a donor, you have a lot of giving options. We’ll help you focus your charitable donations to maximize your impact and satisfaction, while also maximizing your tax deductions.
Donation Options
One of our financial advisors will help you determine the appropriate donation amount and strategy, given your income and donation goals. Some of your donation options include:
Donor Advised Fund
There are many benefits to investing through a donor advised fund (DAF), including:
- Low cost to maintain – donate to the fund as often as you like and receive an immediate tax benefit.
- Ability to invest contributions – a DAF allows for liquid contributions only (stocks, bonds, etc.).
- Full control over the fund – your DAF is like a charitable savings account—put money in today and grant it to charities when you’re ready.
Private Foundations
If you’re trying to start your own charitable foundation, our Howard County area financial advisors can help you determine which type of foundation is right for your goals. Types of charitable foundations include:
- Private operating foundations – run charitable activities funded with their own investment income
- Nonprofit organizations – usually formed from a single contribution from an individual or business and managed by a board of directors and/or trustees
- Non-operating foundation – disburses funds to other charitable organizations
Charitable Remainder Trust
A charitable remainder trust is a tax-exempt irrevocable trust designed to reduce your taxable income in two steps:
- Trust beneficiaries’ income is dispersed for a specified period of time.
- Remainder of the trust is donated to a designated charity.
Pooled Income Funds
Similar to a charitable remainder trust, a pooled income fund provides income to the fund’s beneficiaries (based on a prorated share of the fund’s income earned) before distributing the remaining fund assets to designated charities. These funds are usually run by nonprofit organizations.
Charitable Gift Annuities
This donation strategy allows you to donate many different types of assets to a nonprofit organization in exchange for a stream of income from that nonprofit.
Charitable Lead Trusts
This is an irrevocable trust that works like a charitable remainder trust in reverse:
- First, the income goes to the designated nonprofit organization.
- Next, the remaining assets go to the trust beneficiaries.
Howard County Donation Advisors
As our valued client, our goal is help you create a smart, charitable giving strategy. We’ll help you sort through your options to stretch your earnings and maximize your impact. If you’re located in Howard County, call us today to set up a consultation.
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