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 […]
Planning for clients’ incapacity: Why charitable intentions matter
The team at the FM Area Foundation is honored to work with attorneys, CPAs, and financial advisors to help clients turn generosity into lasting impact. Of course, as you work with your charitable clients, you routinely determine the best way to incorporate philanthropic intentions into wills, trusts, and beneficiary designations. But how frequently do you […]
A key to client retention: Consider charitable planning
Retaining clients is a cornerstone of long-term business success, no matter the profession or industry. As the saying goes, keeping an existing client—and earning additional work from that client—is far easier and more cost-effective than securing a new client. For professionals who work in estate, tax, and financial planning, this principle becomes especially important during […]
2025 action required: Last call for current tax rules
As you counsel clients through year-end tax planning, the FM Area Foundation encourages you to remind them that 2025 presents a critical window of opportunity for charitable giving before major provisions of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) take effect on January 1, 2026. The new law could significantly reshape the tax treatment of […]
Donor-advised funds: Bunching, abundance, and flexibility
Many people establish a donor-advised fund at the FM Area Foundation to simplify their giving, stay organized, and even engage the next generation in philanthropy. And, for some families, 2025 is the year when the donor-advised fund takes on an even bigger role in aligning charitable giving goals with changing tax laws. Even families who […]
Six tips for your year-end game plan
With only a few months left in 2025, it is important to evaluate your philanthropy sooner rather than later. Recently passed tax laws may throw a curveball into the financial planning strategies you’ve set in motion with your advisors. Here are six tips to help you and your attorney, CPA, and financial advisor evaluate whether […]
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 […]