Three clients. Three solutions. One common theme.
We’ve rounded the corner into the fourth quarter! As the calendar year draws to a close, you’re likely well aware that charitable giving is not only crucial to your clients first and foremost as an act of generosity, but also as a powerful tool in tax planning. Consider the following hypothetical client situations: You want […]
Inherited IRAs: A charitable solution?
Remember the good old days when your clients could withdraw the money they inherited in their parents’ IRAs over the course of their lifetimes, thereby deferring the income tax for as long as possible? This so-called “stretch IRA” was largely eliminated by the SECURE Act of 2019, which requires most non-spouse beneficiaries to withdraw the […]
National Estate Planning Week
For many attorneys, financial advisors, and CPAs, estate planning is part of your client conversations every single month, week, and day of the year. You never hesitate to remind clients to update their wills, trusts, and financial plans as their circumstances change. Even though you remind your clients regularly about the importance of having an […]
Lean on us: Five reasons to call the FM Area Foundation
In an economic and legislative environment full of unpredictability, we encourage you to tap the knowledgeable team at the FM Area Foundation–perhaps even more than you have in the past. If you’ve already established a donor-advised or other type of fund at the FM Area Foundation, you’re familiar with many of the ways we make charitable […]
Navigating new laws: Opportunities for 2025
It’s more important than ever to stay informed about how changes in the tax law may affect your charitable giving. The recently-passed One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) creates challenges as well as opportunities for structuring your philanthropy. We encourage you to reach out to your attorney, CPA, and financial advisor to evaluate how the […]
Fall Professional Advisors Education and Social Event, featuring Bryan Clontz, Charitable Solutions
Featured Speaker: Bryan Clontz Bryan is the founder and President of Charitable Solutions, LLC, specializing in non-cash asset receipt and liquidation, gift annuity reinsurance brokerage, gift annuity risk management consulting, emergency assistance funds, as well as business, virtual currency, and life insurance appraisals/audits. He also serves as Senior Partner of Ekstrom Alley Clontz, a community […]
Gifts of artwork: Worth a look, but be careful
If you’ve noticed a surprising uptick in recent years among your younger clients investing in artwork, it is not your imagination! A survey of 1,007 U.S. high net worth individuals (each with at least $3 million in investable assets) found that 83% of respondents aged 43 and under said they currently own or would like to […]
Quiet types: Spotting clients who prefer to give anonymously
At the FM Area Foundation, we’re dedicated to helping your clients achieve their charitable goals. We’re honored to serve as your trusted resource for tax-efficient giving strategies, allowing your clients to maximize their charitable impact and support them as they build lasting philanthropic legacies. As you continue (or begin) conversations about charitable giving with your […]
Timing is everything: Mapping out clients’ 2025 charitable giving plans
It’s never been easy to navigate the ever-shifting tax rules to help clients structure charitable gifts, and now it’s even trickier. Major changes under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), signed into law on July 4, 2025, are creating complexity, opportunity, and, for some, urgency. The OBBBA reshapes both how much a client can […]
“It’s so easy”: How the FM Area Foundation makes giving such a pleasure
As individuals, families, and businesses get more involved in charitable giving, it’s not uncommon to become overwhelmed with all the options for supporting favorite charities. Plus, it can be hard to know what really makes a difference. The FM Area Foundation is here to help make charitable giving easy, flexible, and effective. Our team loves […]