Donor Advised Funds

A Donor Advised Fund (DAF) is like a charitable investment account for the sole purpose of supporting charitable organizations you care about.  DAFs are the fastest-growing charitable giving vehicle in the United States because they are one of the easiest and most tax-advantageous ways to give to charity.

HOW DOES A DONOR ADVISED FUND WORK?

MAKE A TAX-DEDUCTIBLE DONATION

• You establish a DAF by contributing cash, stock or other non-cash assets to a DAF sponsor such as Fidelity, Schwab, Vanguard or a local community foundation, and receive an immediate income tax deduction

GROW YOUR DONATION TAX-FREE

• While you’re deciding which charities to support, your donation can potentially grow, making available even more money for charities

SUPPORT CHARITIES YOU LOVE, NOW OR OVER TIME

• You can support virtually any IRS-qualified charity with grant recommendations from the DAF at a pace that is comfortable for you

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF A DONOR ADVISED FUND?

EASILY CONTRIBUTE A WIDE RANGE OF ASSETS

• Assets generally accepted include cash, stock, mutual fund shares, cryptocurrencies and a multitude of non-cash assets

MAXIMIZE POTENTIAL TAX BENEFITS

• You receive an immediate income tax deduction at the time you make the contribution
• If you contribute appreciated assets to the fund, you can eliminate capital gains taxes when those assets are sold by the fund

INVEST YOUR DONATION FOR TAX-FREE GROWTH

• Once you have funded your DAF, you may recommend an investment strategy for your account, potentially growing your account and providing you with more dollars to grant to charity

SIMPLIFY RECORDKEEPING AND ORGANIZATION

• With a DAF, you don’t have to keep track of every gift acknowledgement from every charity you support – just the receipts from your DAF contributions

SUPPORT YOUR LEGACY PLANNING

• You can incorporate your DAF into your estate plan by making a bequest in your will to the DAF sponsor or by making the sponsor a beneficiary of a retirement plan or life insurance policy
• Many DAF sponsors also allow you to pass the remaining funds in your account at your death to heirs or your favorite charities

Questions? We are here to help.

For assistance with planning a gift which will benefit March of Dimes now or in the future, please contact Dean Regenovich, Director of Charitable Estate Planning, at 800-780-3463 or plannedgiving@marchofdimes.org.

For assistance with administration of an active estate or trust of which March of Dimes is a beneficiary, including distributions, releases, and notice of related court proceedings, please contact Pecola Beech, Estates Administrator, at 914-997-4455 or pbeech@marchofdimes.org.

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