Once you have determined the causes you want to support and have done your homework on those chosen charities, it’s time to put together your giving plan. A giving plan can help you track your giving on an annual basis, to document your legacy giving wishes, and to communicate your giving desires to your family.
Your annual giving plan could look something like this and helps you outline your giving based on:
- Funding areas – Cultural arts, education, social programs, the environment, animals, religious affiliations, support programs, health/research, etc.
- Local versus Global reach – Determine your desire to support organizations that serve close to home versus those that serve a broader/global community.
- Identify the Specific Organization(s) in each funding area
- Identify specific organizations and specific gifting – Determine your annual giving amount in dollars and/or percentages and track when you’ve met each annual goal.
- Identify your Legacy Gifting Wishes – Document the organizations you have identified to receive charitable dollars from your estate. While this form does not have any legal authority and does not replace the needed legal documents (trusts, wills, etc.), it is a way to communicate your charitable giving desires.
Your annual giving plan will help you (1) plan and track your annual giving and (2) provide a tool with which to communicate your charitable giving with your family. Feel free to use our Giving Plan (link form here) form, or develop a format that works best for you. The important part is to develop your personal giving goals based on what is important to you, to verify the organizations you choose use your gifts to provide the most good, and to make sure that your gifting fits into your overall financial plan.
“What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us; what we have done for others and the world remains and is immortal.” ~Albert Pike
Changes in tax laws may occur at any time and could have a substantial impact upon each person’s situation. Please discuss tax matters with the appropriate professional. Any opinions are those of Center for Financial Planning, Inc., and not necessarily those of RJFS or Raymond James.