Last year, the Wayne County Foundation had the privilege of stewarding a remarkable gift that demonstrates how one person’s commitment to honoring a friend can create lasting impact for an entire community. 

The story begins with a lifelong friendship that started as seniors in high school and a shared belief in the power of education. One friend held a deep conviction that students should have as many opportunities as possible to further their education through scholarships. They were pathways to possibility, opening doors for young people who were ready to pursue their dreams. 

To honor that vision and memory, the Byron Dare Family made a meaningful decision. They donated 47 acres of land to the Wayne County Foundation, trusting the Foundation to steward the gift in a way that would continue supporting students for generations to come to honor their friend’s legacy. 

Through careful stewardship, the Foundation facilitated the sale of the property, generating more than $350,000 to add to the Hilda Luerman Dickman Herold Endowed Scholarship for Catholic Education Fund. Those additional resources will now expand the scholarship’s reach, helping even more students access a college education. 

Land gifts like this illustrate one of the many ways donors can support charitable causes. While many people think of philanthropy through cash contributions, the Wayne County Foundation also accepts a wide range of assets, including land, real estate, and other property that can be transformed into lasting community benefit. These types of gifts often allow donors to maximize the value of what they already own while impacting the causes they care most about. 

But this story has an additional chapter that makes it especially unique. 

Of the original 47 acres, 11 acres were acquired by the Red-Tail Land Conservancy, creating a new area of protected land in Wayne County. Through this partnership, a portion of the property will remain preserved as natural habitat—ensuring that future generations can experience the beauty of our region’s landscapes while supporting biodiversity and environmental stewardship. 

This is the power of thoughtful philanthropy. When donors trust the Wayne County Foundation to steward their gifts, those gifts can multiply their impact in ways that benefit the entire community. 

Most importantly, this story reminds us that philanthropy is deeply human. It is about the relationships we build, the values we share, and the legacies we choose to carry forward. 

As an attorney, CPA, or financial advisor, you’re well aware that your clients are typically better off from a tax perspective if they donate to charity by giving appreciated stock held for more than one year instead of writing a check. That’s because the client’s charitable deduction is calculated based on the stock’s fair market value, and the charity (unlike your client) can sell the stock without triggering capital gains tax. Indeed, many of your clients regularly give appreciated stock to their donor advised funds at the Wayne County Foundation.

So, what happens when one of these clients starts asking questions about what’s on their tax return? For instance:

“Wait a minute. I distinctly remember that my stock was worth $81.95 per share when the market closed on the day I transferred 100 shares to the Foundation to add to my donor advised fund. But my tax return is showing a deduction amount less than $8,195. Is that a mistake?”

It’s a great question, and of course you know the answer! When a client contributes publicly traded securities to a fund at the Foundation, or directly to another public charity, the amount of the charitable deduction is indeed based on the fair market value of the asset at the time of the gift under Internal Revenue Code Section 170 and Treasury Regulation § 1.170A-1(c). For publicly traded securities, however, “fair market value” is not ordinarily the closing price. Instead, the IRS valuation rule generally uses the average between the highest and lowest quoted selling prices on the date of the contribution. This methodology appears in Treasury Regulation § 20.2031-2(b)(1), outlining the IRS’s longstanding valuation rules.

Here’s a simple example.

Suppose a client transfers shares to a donor advised fund at the Foundation on August 20. On that date:

High price: $82.40

Low price: $79.60

Closing price: $81.95

Many clients understandably assume their deduction will be based on the $81.95 closing price. Under the applicable valuation rules, however, the value generally used is the average of the high and low prices:

($82.40 + $79.60) ÷ 2 = $81.00 per share

The difference may be relatively small in many cases, but for larger gifts, or during periods of market volatility, it can become meaningful.

And again, yes, you know this! But many clients do not. That’s why it’s a good idea to remind a client about this rule when they’re making gifts of appreciated stock. It’s also important to remember that determining the valuation date itself may involve additional analysis. The relevant date is generally the date the gift is considered complete for federal tax purposes, which may differ depending on how the securities are transferred and when control passes to the charitable organization. Because of these nuances, it’s wise to coordinate closely with the community foundation whenever timing is critical, such as at year-end.

Fortunately, the Foundation works with gifts of appreciated securities every day and can help facilitate smooth transfers. Especially as the fall planning season approaches, clients often focus on maximizing charitable deductions while avoiding capital gains tax on appreciated investments. Being prepared to explain why the deduction is based on the average of the day’s high and low, not simply the closing price, can be a helpful component of client conversations.

Please reach out to the Foundation team anytime, and especially when a client is getting ready to transfer stock. We will keep an eye out for it and make sure the processing goes smoothly. Thank you for the opportunity to work with you to serve your clients!

For many attorneys, CPAs, and financial advisors, the last weeks of summer mark the beginning of year-end planning season. As clients return from vacations and turn their attention to tax and financial planning, it’s an ideal time to revisit charitable giving strategies that could be important to help clients achieve their 2026 planning objectives.

A popular strategy that deserves special attention in year-end planning is “bunching” charitable contributions. The bunching concept became widely discussed when the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 substantially increased the standard deduction for calculating income tax. According to important historical data, this change caused many taxpayers who previously itemized deductions to begin claiming the standard deduction instead because their annual charitable gifts and other deductible expenses were no longer sufficient to exceed the standard deduction threshold.

Since the beginning of 2026, charitable planning has become even more nuanced. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act added a new limitation under Internal Revenue Code Section 170 requiring that itemized charitable deductions must generally exceed 0.5% of adjusted gross income before a deduction is available. In addition, Section 68 now effectively limits the tax benefit of itemized deductions for taxpayers in the highest marginal income tax bracket to 35%. These two new provisions are sometimes called the “floor” and the “cap.” Although in many cases charitable giving remains highly tax-efficient, these changes make proactive planning increasingly important.

So, what is “bunching”? And why is it so useful under current tax law? Here’s how it works:

• Rather than making charitable gifts in roughly equal amounts each year, a client may benefit from consolidating two or more years of planned charitable contributions up front into a single tax year. 
• By concentrating, or “bunching,” donations into one year, the client may be better positioned to itemize deductions in that year while claiming the standard deduction in subsequent years, potentially producing greater cumulative tax savings over time.

For many of your clients, a donor advised fund at the Wayne County Foundation serves as an effective vehicle for implementing a bunching strategy. That’s because a client can make a single, larger contribution to the donor advised fund, generally claim the charitable deduction in the year of the contribution under Internal Revenue Code Section 170(a), and then recommend grants to favorite charities now and in future years. In short, the timing of the income tax deduction is separated from the timing of charitable distributions, allowing the client’s favorite nonprofits to continue receiving consistent annual support.

As year-end approaches, many clients will naturally ask whether they should “bunch,” or accelerate, charitable gifts before December 31. Advisors who raise the bunching conversation now and coordinate early with the Foundation team can help clients evaluate whether this strategy aligns with both their philanthropic objectives and their broader financial plans and then implement the strategy without rushing through it.

Bunching is not the only technique to be aware of well before year-end! Here are two additional important reminders for your client conversations:

• Remember that charitable planning opportunities are typically even more attractive when appreciated securities are involved. Under Internal Revenue Code Section 170(e)(1)(A), a client who contributes long-term appreciated publicly traded securities to a public charity, including a donor advised or other type of fund at the Foundation, generally may deduct the property’s fair market value (subject to the applicable adjusted gross income limitations) while avoiding recognition of the built-in capital gain that otherwise would result from a sale. This is usually a much better tax outcome than giving cash.

• Note that Qualified Charitable Distributions allow IRA owners age 70 ½ or older to give directly to charity tax-free, up to the 2026 annual limit of $111,000, even before required minimum distributions begin, potentially lowering adjusted gross income and reducing taxes on Social Security benefits and Medicare premiums. For a subset of your clients, this is important in light of the charitable deduction limitations under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. 

The Foundation is honored to work alongside you and other advisors all year long to help structure charitable gifts in a way that advances your clients’ philanthropic goals while making the planning process as seamless as possible. Reach out anytime to get a jump on year-end planning!

The Wayne County Foundation team appreciates that so many attorneys, CPAs, and financial advisors recommend to clients age 70 ½ and older that they take advantage of Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs) from traditional IRAs. Your client can direct a QCD to a designated fund, field of interest fund, scholarship fund, or unrestricted fund at the Foundation, or even directly to support the Foundation’s overall mission and work.  

Because QCDs are so useful, we’ve got our eyes on pending legislation that might expand the ways your clients can use them. Specifically, Congress continues to consider two bipartisan charitable giving bills: the Charity Parity Act (S. 2204/H.R. 4495), which would permit QCDs directly from employer-sponsored retirement plans, such as 401(k)s, in addition to traditional IRAs, and the IRA Charitable Rollover Facilitation and Enhancement Act (S. 3975), which would extend QCD eligibility to donor advised funds. Neither proposal has advanced beyond committee, but both are still active and of course could be very useful to expand charitable giving options if enacted. 

We will keep you posted! 

Understandably, most conversations and commentary about this transfer focus on the assets themselves. Who will inherit the family business? What will happen to the investment portfolio? How should the estate plan be structured? Naturally, those are important questions! But many families are beginning to ask something deeper: “What values do we want to pass along, too?”

A recent Kiplinger article exploring the Great Wealth Transfer makes the point that the strongest family legacies are built not simply by transferring assets, but by intentionally passing along values of generosity through shared charitable experiences and conversations. It encourages families to involve younger generations in philanthropy early, making giving a collaborative, multigenerational experience rather than a one-time financial transaction. 

For many people, philanthropy is one of those values. If you’re among them, here’s food for thought:

—A charitable legacy isn’t simply about the gifts that are made after you’re gone. It’s also about helping your children and grandchildren understand why giving has been important throughout your life. In many ways, the conversations, traditions, and shared decisions surrounding philanthropy can become just as meaningful as the financial inheritance itself. 

—Now is a great time to begin mapping out your legacy if you’ve not done so already. For starters, August is widely recognized as Make-A-Will Month, in large part because the downtime of late summer offers a perfect window to address open estate planning issues.

—According to the latest Giving USA report, charitable bequests totaled more than $62 billion in 2025, increasing nearly 20% over the previous year. Bequests were the fastest-growing source of charitable giving, underscoring how important estate gifts have become to nonprofit organizations and the communities they serve. 

—A charitable bequest can be surprisingly simple. You might leave a specific dollar amount or a percentage of your estate to your donor advised fund, or designate another type of charitable fund at the Wayne County Foundation, to continue supporting the organizations and community priorities that matter most to you.

—For example, by naming your children or other loved ones as successor advisors of your donor advised fund at the Foundation, you’re inviting them to continue the family’s tradition of generosity by recommending grants to the organizations and causes they believe will make a difference. This opportunity is itself a meaningful inheritance! 

—For individuals and couples with especially large estates, charitable planning also may reduce the federal estate tax ultimately borne by the estate, helping preserve more of the remaining assets for heirs. This consideration applies to relatively few families because the federal estate tax exemption is $15 million per individual in 2026, but when it does apply, it really matters because gifts and bequests to qualified charities generally are deductible in determining the taxable estate. Your attorney, CPA, and financial advisor can help determine whether estate tax planning is relevant to your particular circumstances. 

—Even when estate taxes are not a concern, a charitable bequest can still become one of the most meaningful gifts you make. You may, of course, provide for family members while also supporting the causes and organizations that have mattered throughout your life. Estate plans are designed to transfer wealth. A charitable legacy has the power to transfer something even more lasting. The Wayne County Foundation would be honored to work with you and your estate planning advisors to arrange charitable bequests, establish a donor advised or other charitable fund, and build a legacy your family can continue long into the future.

Whether financial or personal, major milestone moments often bring a sense of accomplishment. They can also bring something else: an opportunity to pause and reflect—and be smart about the next big move. For many people, that’s when the questions start changing. At some point along the way, instead of asking themselves, “What’s my next big thing?” they shift to “What matters most?” and “What kind of impact do I want to leave behind?” That’s one reason so many charitable conversations begin after a significant financial event, which is why significant financial events often lead to high-profile philanthropy announcements, as recently occurred in connection with the sale of the Seattle Seahawks. 

Many people in this situation find they have the time and flexibility to think more intentionally about the causes, organizations, and communities that have shaped their lives, especially now that they have the financial resources to act on their intentions. Some want to express gratitude for opportunities they’ve received. Others hope to create opportunities for future generations or honor family members. Still others simply want to make sure the success they’ve enjoyed continues benefiting others for years to come.

As you look ahead in your life and anticipate big milestones, consider taking steps early so that you’re prepared to implement a philanthropy plan. For example, here are a few things you can do even years before a significant liquidity event:

—Consider establishing a donor advised fund at the Wayne County Foundation so you can get familiar with the mechanics and the resources available at the Foundation. You’ll be able to set aside charitable dollars while taking the time to thoughtfully consider which organizations you would like to support over the months and years ahead, especially following a financial transaction.

—In addition to your donor advised fund, you might also want to establish one or more designated funds to provide lasting support for the specific organizations you care about. These funds can provide support during your lifetime or receive an estate gift under your will or trust.  

—Some people also establish a field of interest fund at the Foundation as part of their charitable giving “portfolio” to address particular community needs, as well as unrestricted funds that allow the Foundation to respond to the area’s greatest opportunities for generations to come.

Remember, in the case of private business interests, from a capital gains perspective, you may be far better off establishing charitable arrangements well before a transaction is underway. Please consult your tax advisors and the Foundation team as you think about an exit plan for your closely held business. Of course, if you’ve recently experienced a liquidity event and haven’t yet established a charitable plan, it is not too late!   

Whether you’ve already experienced a significant financial event, or expect one in the future, we’d love to talk. The Wayne County Foundation can help you explore charitable options that reflect your values, support the causes you care about, and create a legacy that extends far beyond a single moment of success.

In particular, a technique called “bunching” is important to consider as you get a jump on your year-end charitable giving plans.

Even just a few years ago, not many people had heard of “bunching.” That’s because the standard deduction (which itself has an interesting history) under the Internal Revenue Code’s income tax rules was much lower than it is now. Many donors easily met the criteria to itemize deductions, including their charitable contributions, on their income tax returns. That changed after the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 significantly increased the standard deduction starting in 2018. 

Further changes to the charitable deduction rules under 2025’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act increased the complexity of charitable deduction thresholds because the new law, effective for 2026, imposes a 0.5% of adjusted gross income (AGI) floor for itemized charitable deductions and, for taxpayers in the highest tax bracket, a 35% cap on the tax benefit of those deductions. All of this means that thoughtful charitable planning is more important than ever.

What you need to know is that “bunching” charitable gifts may be useful to you, and it’s something you ought to discuss with your tax and financial advisors as soon as you can. The essence of bunching is that, rather than making similar-sized charitable donations every year, you would combine two or more years of charitable gifts up front into a single tax year. This is useful because by concentrating gifts into one year, you may be able to accumulate enough deductions to make itemizing more beneficial than claiming the standard deduction and achieve a greater tax benefit than you would by making smaller annual gifts and taking the standard deduction. 

A donor advised fund at the Wayne County Foundation makes bunching especially attractive. For example, you can contribute several years’ worth of charitable gifts to your donor advised fund this year, generally be eligible to claim an income tax deduction for the current year, subject to applicable limitations, and then recommend grants to your favorite nonprofits over several future years. This allows your favorite organizations to continue receiving steady support while simultaneously maximizing your own tax benefits.  

Remember, too, that your donor advised fund at the Foundation accepts appreciated securities, which may provide additional tax advantages in the right circumstances. That’s because you may be able to avoid capital gains tax on the highly appreciated stock you contribute to your donor advised fund. 

The takeaway here is that now is the time to begin conversations with your tax and financial advisors about bunching and about your charitable plans in general. Please loop in the Foundation team! We are honored to serve as a sounding board as you carry out your charitable wishes. The Wayne County Foundation is your home for charitable giving, and we always welcome a conversation! 

At the Wayne County Foundation, we work with a wide range of individuals, families, and businesses for whom charitable giving is a priority, especially related to supporting causes in our community that improve the quality of life for everyone. In many cases, we’re helping business owners structure their personal and family philanthropy. A natural extension of that work is to explore ways a business owner’s succession plan can incorporate gifts to favorite charities and causes. Some attorneys, CPAs, and financial advisors are surprised to learn how many charitable planning options may be available in connection with a business succession event.

What’s going on here?

Business succession planning is becoming increasingly important as a growing share of American wealth is tied to privately held companies. According to the National Center for the Middle Market at The Ohio State University, approximately 200,000 U.S. companies generate annual revenues between $10 million and $1 billion. At the same time, a recent Wall Street Journal article highlighted the growing ranks of wealthy Americans whose fortunes were built through private business ownership and equity growth. For many of these business owners, a succession event may represent the largest liquidity event of their lifetime. And for attorneys, CPAs, and financial advisors, these trends point to a growing need for thoughtful planning around business transitions, wealth transfer, and charitable legacy strategies.

What is most important for advisors to know?

The single most important takeaway is that charitable planning should be part of the succession conversation as early as possible. Whether a client is preparing to sell a closely held business, transfer ownership to family members, explore an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP), or simply begin thinking about life after the company, charitable planning deserves a seat at the table early in the process. Too often, philanthropy enters the conversation only after a transaction is in the works or already complete. By then, some of the most effective planning windows may be closed. By asking the right questions early, you can help your clients support meaningful causes, potentially reduce taxes, involve family members in giving, and create a lasting charitable legacy.

What questions should I ask my clients? 

Here are four “must-ask” questions and why they are important, plus a word of caution.

Have you thought about including charitable giving in your business succession plan?

Many business owners have most of their wealth tied up in their companies. When a sale or ownership transition occurs, the resulting tax consequences can be significant. In some situations, contributing a portion of closely held business interests to charity before a transaction may allow a client to support charitable goals while potentially reducing capital gains tax exposure. Again, timing is key. Once letters of intent are signed or a transaction becomes binding, certain charitable planning opportunities may no longer be available. That’s why advisors should raise charitable planning discussions long before the deal reaches the finish line.

Remember that charitable planning is not limited to third-party sales. Clients considering ESOPs, family transfers, recapitalizations, redemptions, or other succession strategies may also benefit from exploring charitable opportunities.

Are there causes or organizations that helped shape your business, your employees, or your family’s values?

Business succession often prompts reflection. Many owners begin thinking not only about what they have built, but also about the communities, schools, nonprofits, and organizations that contributed to their success. This conversation can help clients identify charitable priorities that might otherwise be left unexplored. It also creates an opportunity to discuss how a business transition could become a catalyst for meaningful community impact rather than simply a financial event.

Would you like your children or grandchildren to be involved in charitable decisions after the transition?

For many families, succession planning is about more than transferring wealth. It is also about passing along values. A donor advised fund at the Wayne County Foundation can provide a flexible way for family members to participate in charitable decisions over time. Rather than making all charitable decisions immediately after a sale, a family can establish a fund, potentially involve multiple generations in recommending grants, and create a structure that supports ongoing conversations about philanthropy and community impact.

Are you interested in creating a charitable fund that can support multiple organizations over time?

Many business owners want to make a significant charitable commitment during a liquidity event but are not yet ready to determine exactly which organizations should receive support. A donor advised fund can help bridge that gap. Clients can contribute assets during a high-income year, potentially receive a charitable deduction if eligible, and then recommend grants to charitable organizations over time. This flexibility allows clients to separate the timing of a charitable contribution from the timing of individual grant decisions.

A word of caution

Some clients may initially assume that a private foundation is the best vehicle for implementing their charitable goals alongside a business exit or succession plan. However, private foundations can be subject to complex rules governing self-dealing, excess business holdings, required distributions, investments, and other activities, not to mention the unfavorable tax deductibility rules for gifts of closely held stock to a private foundation as compared with a donor advised fund. For many business owners, a donor advised fund can provide a simpler alternative with significantly less administrative burden and, in many cases, more favorable tax treatment.

The Wayne County Foundation is happy to work alongside you and your clients to explore charitable planning opportunities. Please reach out anytime you encounter a pending business succession situation—or preferably a potential business succession situation!

As attorneys, CPAs, and financial advisors, you’re dedicated to helping charitable clients navigate technical planning opportunities ranging from donor advised funds and Qualified Charitable Distributions to charitable trusts and gifts of complex assets. The Wayne County Foundation is here to help every step of the way!

Tackling the details is important. Effective charitable planning also requires something broader, and that’s context. That’s why the team at the Foundation is committed to keeping you up to date on research and trends that affect philanthropy and related strategies at a macro level. Indeed, charitable planning does not occur in a vacuum; it exists within a rapidly evolving nonprofit sector and a dynamic legislative and regulatory environment.

In that spirit, we’re sharing three important trends and updates:

Philanthropy, including your clients’ gifts, supports a larger and more complex nonprofit sector than ever before. 

Charitable giving is going strong! In 2025, Americans contributed an estimated $617 billion to support causes ranging from local nonprofits and places of worship to educational institutions and animal welfare organizations. This fell just short of the record set during a pandemic-related surge in philanthropy, but 2025 represents one of the highest levels of charitable giving ever recorded.

Consistent with that trend, in its recent report, The U.S. Tax-Exempt Sector Explained: The Growing Role of Nonprofits in America, the Bipartisan Policy Center highlights the significant growth of the nonprofit sector over the past several decades. Nonprofits today provide essential services, strengthen communities, advance education and healthcare, and address needs that government and the private sector often cannot meet on their own. This signals an important reminder to advisors that charitable planning is not simply a tax exercise. Helping your clients support charitable organizations can have meaningful implications for communities and local economies well beyond the specific charitable organizations themselves.

Charitable planning tools continue to evolve. 

PG Calc’s recent article, The State of Play: Navigating the Current Landscape of QCD Legislation and DAF Regulations, provides a helpful review of ongoing discussions in Washington surrounding Qualified Charitable Distributions and donor advised funds. These tools continue to offer valuable planning opportunities for many clients, and the article serves as a reminder that charitable planning strategies are shaped by legislation, regulation, and public policy discussions. Advisors who stay informed about potential changes are often better positioned to help clients adapt as the charitable planning landscape evolves.

Clients increasingly expect charitable planning to be integrated into broader financial and estate planning conversations. 

Philanthropy is becoming more sophisticated, more visible, and more interconnected with wealth transfer, retirement planning, tax planning, and legacy goals. A recent article in Financial Advisor Magazine highlighted once again the importance of philanthropy to high-net-worth families, which in turn means that advisors who work with these clients must be familiar with donor advised funds and other charitable planning tools. Clients often look to their trusted advisors not only for technical expertise, but also for perspective on how charitable giving fits into their overall financial picture. 

The bottom line is that context matters! By working with the Wayne County Foundation to stay informed about trends affecting nonprofits, charitable incentives, and philanthropic planning, you can better serve your charitable clients and help them achieve both their financial and estate planning goals and their goals for community impact.

If you keep an eye on initial public offerings, it’s been an exciting few weeks, especially if your clients are involved. As you work with clients who may hold stock that’s going public, or if your clients are considering investing in companies involved in IPOs, be sure to look at all angles of the client’s financial and estate plan that may be impacted, including charitable planning.

Indeed, recent headlines are a reminder that initial public offerings can create significant charitable planning opportunities. For example, CNBC’s article on SpaceX millionaires and wealth management, The Wall Street Journal’s “Tech’s Next IPO Wave Promises a Charitable Windfall,” and Business Insider’s coverage of newly wealthy SpaceX employees all point to the same theme: Liquidity events can quickly turn founders, executives, early employees, and investors into high-net-worth charitable clients. 

Of course, for attorneys, CPAs, and financial advisors, the key is to bring up the topic of charitable planning as early as possible; ideally, before shares are sold and before clients make irrevocable tax, investment, or estate planning decisions.

You may be curious about how IPOs and charitable planning might come together for your clients and how the Wayne County Foundation can help! Consider three scenarios for inspiration: 

Scenario 1: Founder or executive with highly appreciated stock

A founder or executive approaching an IPO may be holding shares with very low basis and significant expected appreciation. Depending on timing, restrictions, and tax rules, contributing a portion of appreciated shares to a fund at the Foundation may help your client support charitable goals while potentially reducing exposure to capital gains tax. A donor advised fund, field of interest fund, or designated fund, for example, can allow the client to create a long-term charitable strategy while maintaining flexibility after the IPO dust settles.

Scenario 2: Employee with a sudden wealth event

As recent SpaceX coverage illustrates, IPOs can create thousands of newly wealthy employees who may never have needed sophisticated charitable planning before. These clients may be juggling concentrated stock positions, tax liabilities, estate planning needs, and family conversations about wealth. A donor advised fund at the Wayne County Foundation can provide a simple, organized way to set aside charitable dollars in a high-income year and then recommend grants over time as the client becomes more intentional about giving. This strategy is called “bunching.”

Scenario 3: Investor or family seeking legacy and multigenerational community impact

Some clients who benefit from IPO activity may already have significant wealth and want to use the liquidity event to formalize a philanthropic legacy. These clients may be good candidates for multiple charitable funds, such as a donor advised fund for flexible family grantmaking, a scholarship fund to support education, and an unrestricted or field of interest fund to address changing community needs over time. The Foundation can work alongside you and your client’s full advisory team to align tax planning, family goals, and charitable impact.

Finally, and importantly, what’s the common thread across all three scenarios? Timing. Once an IPO, sale, or lock-up expiration is underway, some planning options may be limited. Advisors who ask charitable questions and loop in the team at the Wayne County Foundation early can help clients turn a major financial event into meaningful support for the causes they care about.

Please reach out to our team to discuss clients’ charitable opportunities related to IPOs, appreciated stock, business interests, other complex assets, and anything else related to philanthropy. It is our honor to be your first call on matters of charitable giving.