Advisor Toolkit

Take advantage of our Advisor toolkit and resources and contact us with any questions.

These resources are made available by the San Antonio Area Foundation to all advisors as a free service:

 

  • Sample bequest language.
  • Materials for you and your clients – We provide materials for you to use and customize when working with your clients to achieve their charitable and financial goals. Materials include bequest language, sample fund agreements, and informational flyers for your clients on a range of charitable giving issues. Contact us to request these tools.
Senior businesswoman explaining strategy at office

How to Discuss Charitable Giving with Your Clients

We understand that clients may not be considering philanthropy when they have an appointment with their legal or financial advisors, and many professionals have told us they are reluctant to raise the issue. We are here to help guide you through these conversations.

Several scenarios when charitable giving may be brought up:

You are aware of significant tax advantages your client can achieve by including a charitable provision in his or her estate plan. Your client’s bequest can create a fund that will contribute forever to causes that are important to them. The San Antonio Area Foundation can help your client identify his or her charitable goals and help you maximize the tax benefits of the bequest.

Your client just earned a large bonus or his business created extraordinary profits. He wants to share that good fortune with the community but has little time at year’s end to decide how to maximize the impact of such good fortune. You can recommend establishing a donor-advised fund (or other funds) at the Area Foundation, which would allow your client to realize an immediate tax deduction and have the opportunity to seek advice regarding the most effective use of his charitable assets. Actual grant-making can be done at the client’s convenience.

Your client has highly appreciated stock and is willing to consider a charitable gift. He or she may realize a tax deduction for the full market value, while avoiding the capital gains tax that would otherwise arise from the sale of the stock. Closely held stock can also be used as gift property.

Your client finds he or she is not reaping sufficient income from the appreciated assets he or she has accumulated. The Area Foundation can show you how charitable gift annuities or charitable remainder trusts can help your client achieve their charitable objectives while preparing well for retirement.

We can help you and your client evaluate the most beneficial asset distribution to minimize taxes, thereby giving more to his or her heirs and still achieving significant charitable objectives. For example, it is usually more tax advantageous for a donor to give retirement assets to charity and other assets to their heirs. Income tax and possibly estate taxes often dilute the value of an IRA or other retirement assets left to an heir.

Your client owns highly appreciated stock in a company that is about to be acquired. The Area Foundation can work with you to suggest several ways to structure a charitable gift (including the use of planned giving techniques) to help your client reduce capital gains tax and maximize the impact to his or her favorite charitable causes.

The San Antonio Area Foundation offers the advantages of a private foundation without most of the expense and hassle. A fund in Area Foundation often is a wiser choice. Administrative costs are lower; donors can take advantage of the grantmaking experts, investment staff, and other resources of a large foundation.

And because Area Foundation is a public charity, donors get the maximum tax benefits allowed by law.

A QCD is a direct transfer of funds from your IRA to a qualified charity like the Area Foundation. QCDs can be counted toward satisfying your annual required minimum distributions (RMDs) as long as certain rules are met. This is one of the most tax savvy forms of giving.

Your client either doesn’t have the substantial resources needed to start a private foundation or lacks the time to oversee its administration. The Area Foundation can help you and your client consider simpler, more cost-efficient alternatives to a private foundation.

Signature Funds
Establish your own charitable foundation with minimum administrative and legal requirements. All correspondence and related information to the fund will be branded with your logo. These funds can be managed separately or invested through the Area Foundation’s investment portfolio options.

Donor Advised Funds
Consider a donor advised fund or choose from a variety of fund types.

Supporting Organizations
We could establish a lower-cost and tax-wise alternative to a private foundation, such as a supporting organization.

Lisa Brunsvold
Vice President, Development and Donor Services

Have more questions? We’re here to help.

Complete the inquiry form and we will be in touch.

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