August is National Make a Will Month When we’re younger, we tend to focus first on taking care of ourselves, whether it’s personally, professionally or financially. Life changes, and so do our priorities. Sometimes, it’s when we have children; at other times, our...
The 2026 Tax-Smart Philanthropy Blueprint
Charitable donations could help create a powerful legacy and possibly impact your tax picture.
What’s inside
A short “success to significance” self-assessment: considering legacy questions while you still have time and flexibility to plan.
Eight giving layers
1. Appreciated stock and securities
2. Cash gifts
3. Qualified charitable distributions (QCDs)
4. Donor-advised funds
5. Charitable remainder and lead trusts
6. Real estate, business interests, and other complex assets
7. Documentation and compliance
8. Non-tax factors: diligence, family involvement, and how you give – not only how much
Estate and family pages
How philanthropy can appear in an estate plan, and ways families sometimes stay involved without changing the original charitable purpose, and how charitable trusts may be created during life or at death.
Worksheets
- 90-day action plan checklist
- Tax impact estimator
- Sample legacy letter
- Documentation checklist