Case study: Business owners exit with a family legacy
As an attorney, CPA, or financial advisor, you probably work with several clients who own a family business. You’ve likely also considered that there may be a role for strategic philanthropy in family business succession planning to help clients get ready for an eventual exit. But so what? How does strategic philanthropy actually play out […]
Rethinking legacy: Balancing gifts to heirs with the community’s future
Next time you meet with your estate planning attorney, it may be a good idea to check in on your long-term plans and ask yourself questions you might not yet have considered. Some planners, for example, report that more and more clients are reconsidering an automatic estate distribution to heirs. Instead, their clients are evaluating […]
Charitable giving, due diligence, and how the FM Area Foundation can help
Many people want to be thoughtful in their charitable giving, but that doesn’t always make the process easy. In fact, one of the most common challenges donors face is simply feeling confident in their decisions. With so many worthy organizations, urgent needs, and compelling opportunities, it can be difficult to know where to start—or how […]
Worth a look: Charitable gifts of real estate
If your client base includes philanthropic individuals and families, you’re likely aware that gifts of real estate are an option to fund charitable giving. Real estate is the largest asset class in the world, yet various industry sources suggest that only 3% of charitable giving involves gifts of real estate. Still, it’s understandable that charitable […]
Documentation is no joke and coffee is not milk: Two important tax rulings
At the FM Area Foundation, we value the role you play in helping individuals and families make the most of their charitable giving. That’s why we’re committed to providing regular updates on legal and policy developments that may impact your clients. In two recent rulings, the underlying message is consistent: Courts and the IRS continue […]
Case study: Charitable giving in a down market
As you guide clients through ongoing market uncertainty, you may be noticing that conversations are becoming as much about perspective as performance metrics. While headlines may or may not ultimately signal a prolonged downturn, the mere possibility of a bear market can influence how clients think about everything from retirement timelines to charitable giving. As […]
Spring Professional Advisor Social
Sip, Connect & Celebrate a Year Worth Toasting Thanks to the partnership of advisors in our region, this past year marked a record for new charitable funds and contributions at the community foundation, reflecting growing client interest in strategic, purpose-driven giving. We’re excited to host our Professional Advisor Spring Social on June 2, 2026, from […]
Sudden life changes: Charitable giving can help clients get through it
As an attorney, CPA, or financial advisor, you are no stranger to witnessing the ripple effects of life’s unexpected curveballs. If you represent a client over many years, you’re very likely at some point to help the client through a serious illness, a loved one’s death, business challenges, marital dissolution, strained relationships with children, or […]
What type of fund, or funds, is right for you?
At the FM Area Foundation, we know that charitable giving is deeply personal and that choosing the right tools matters just as much as choosing the causes you care about. Whether you are considering establishing your first fund with the FM Area Foundation or considering adding another fund to complement the ones you already have, […]
Eye on the storms: Keep giving
Uncertain times often cause people to pause and reassess. Whether the uncertainty comes from markets, employment changes, health concerns or the general feeling that the world is unpredictable, it is natural to wonder what this means for your financial plan. For many donors, that uncertainty also raises a question about charitable giving: should I slow […]