A Giving Strategy Your Clients May Be Missing - Community Foundation of Central Georgia

The Client Who Gives Every Year But Never Gets to Itemize

You probably have a few of them. Clients in the wealth-building stage of their lives who give consistently to their church, their alma mater, a cause they care about, and every year that giving disappears into the standard deduction without producing any additional tax benefit. Bunching fixes that. Accelerating multiple years of contributions into a single tax year, combined with mortgage interest and state and local taxes, is often enough to cross the threshold. The other years, they take the standard deduction.

Where a donor-advised fund makes it practical

The obvious objection: the client doesn’t want to deliver three years of support to their organizations all at once. A donor-advised fund solves that.

The client contributes the larger gift to the fund in year one and receives the full deduction at that point. Then they recommend grants to the charities they care about on whatever schedule they choose. The tax benefit is concentrated. Their giving pattern stays exactly as it was.

One additional opportunity: if the client holds appreciated stock, contributing shares directly to the fund rather than cash avoids capital gains tax on the appreciation and generates a deduction for the full fair market value. For clients in a wealth-building stage, this can meaningfully strengthen the strategy.

Why advisors in Central Georgia work with CFCG

The Community Foundation of Central Georgia has been managing donor-advised funds since 1993. We work regularly with estate attorneys, CPAs, and financial planners across the region, and we understand that when you refer a client to us, your name is on that referral.

We take that seriously. Our job is to make you look good: straightforward fund setup, responsive service, and a team that handles the details so the experience reflects well on the relationship you’ve built with your client.

If you have clients who might benefit from this conversation, we’d welcome the chance to talk.

As always, donors should consult their financial advisor, CPA, or tax professional regarding their specific circumstances before implementing any charitable giving strategy.