by Andrew Hibel | Nov 22, 2016 | #GivingTuesday, Charitable Giving, Donor Impact, Donor-Advised Funds, Featured |
Giving Tuesday was started in 2012 in a partnership by the 92nd Street Y and the United Nations Foundation to create an international day of giving during the busy holiday shopping season. Since 2012, Giving Tuesday (#GivingTuesday) has become a powerful movement supporting giving and creating a culture of philanthropy. Since its inception, charities have seen large increases in both donor participation and dollars given per-donation. In 2015, charities saw a 155% increase in donations over 2014, bringing in over $117 million dollars. While that represents only a fraction of annual giving to charities, it does represent the largest single day of online giving. Giving Tuesday is helping charities increase the number of donors and reach the increasingly important millennial generation. The social nature of giving on Giving Tuesday makes it a great way to introduce charitable giving to children and teens. So, this coming Giving Tuesday, November 29, 2016, take a moment to give to your favorite charities. If you have the money to spare, start up a donor-advised fund. It makes giving easy, it makes doing your taxes easier without the need to keep track of various tax receipt letters, and it forces you to think about how much you want to give in total, rather than to any given recipient. The Advise Us Fund is itself a 501(c)3 non-profit and you can donate to us here or contact our...
by Andrew Hibel | Sep 11, 2016 | Charitable Giving, Donor-Advised Funds, Events, Featured |
Donor Advised Fund Essentials for Small and Medium Charities The Advise Us Fund expresses its deep gratitude to Holland and Knight for graciously hosting this event. Thursday, September 29, Registration opens at 8 am, program 8:30 am – 2 pm Entire Program Free, Box Lunch Included Please email [email protected] for any dietary needs or specific agenda. Speakers Include: Bob Eichinger, Chicago Community Trust, Director of Donor Services Ron Burke, Active Transportation Alliance, Executive Director Laura Kaufman, Partners in Effective Philanthropy, President Vivian Karpowitz, Advocate Health Care Foundation, Director, Development Information and Analytics Tony Oommen, Fidelity Charitable, Vice President, Charitable Planning Consultant Kristin Carlson Vogen, Oak Park-River Forest Community Foundation, President and CEO David Rosen, Jewish United Fund, Senior Vice President, Endowment Free...
by Andrew Hibel | Aug 29, 2016 | Featured, Linked In |
Being a middle-aged man with a family, my wife and I have been reviewing our estate plans with the intention of revising them. 15 years ago, our attorney-led us through a relatively simple process. This time, I am searching for an app to help me manage the process. An app that will give us what we need to do if we plug in answers to a few multiple choice questions. Unfortunately, this app does not exist and I was stuck for a while trying to find out the status of our plans. In lieu a magical app, I have found the following helped me to break the cycle of procrastination in estate planning: Review and Assemble Current Documents – This may seem simple but this can be complex with wills, trusts, retirement plans and life insurance. Make sure you know where everything is and what is in it. A good summary can be found on RetiredBrains.com. Take a Current Inventory of All Assets – Simply put, in the worst case scenario, it is important to let people know where things are. The inventory should also be a part of your documents. RetiredBrains.com also has a great checklist for items to include. Think of The Important People – We live our lives with and, in many ways, for our loved ones. If you look at the wallpaper of my smartphone, you will see a picture of my loved ones. I’m sure your loved ones occupy similar spaces and you may want them to occupy similar spaces in your estate plans. Think of The Values You Want to Pass On—We donate...
by Robert Freedman | Jun 29, 2016 | Charitable Giving, Donor Impact, Donor-Advised Funds, Featured |
The Active Transportation Alliance partnered with The Advise Us Fund to offer expanded giving options to donors. This new partnership will go a long way in supporting Active Trans in its future development and planned giving efforts. Chicago, IL, June 23, 2016 –(PR.com)— Cycling advocacy has deep roots going back more than 40 years. As such, the early pioneers of this movement are looking to secure the future of the cycling movement through planned giving and major gifts and bequests. This shift in development strategy balances traditional annual giving and long-term planned giving to meet the needs of cycling advocates looking to secure the legacy of their life’s work. The Active Transportation Alliance partnered with The Advise Us Fund to offer expanded giving options to donors. This new partnership will go a long way in supporting Active Trans in its future development and planned giving efforts. Recognizing that both organizations work to achieve a similar goal, Active Trans is proud to partner with The Advise Us Fund. “The sustainable transportation movement has reached a new level of maturity,” said Ron Burke, Active Trans Executive Director. “Establishing a long-term giving program for the organization is a natural development for us as we grow and evolve. And we’re thrilled to be teaming up with The Advise Us Fund in pursuit of this goal.” Furthering this partnership, “We work toward matching the interest of donors to the needs of the organization and providing outcomes to help them enhance the difference they are making.” said Amy Roy, Charitable Catalyst and Managing Director of The Advise Us Fund. “We look forward to bringing our expertise...
by Andrew Hibel | Sep 18, 2015 | Donor Impact, Donor-Advised Funds, Featured |
Most likely you should start now. Your children or grandchildren, as young as three years old, have started learning to share. Charity is another form of sharing. As Bruce DeBoskey recently pointed out, “Even three-year-olds can be encouraged to select and donate gently used items like clothes, books and toys to children with less. When they assist in delivering these items, they will see how their donations actually help others.” Sharing age-appropriate giving experiences with children or grandchildren is sharing a beautiful and joyful experience with them. You’re teaching them what makes you happy and fulfilled. You’re also leaving them with a legacy of what will make them happy and fulfilled too. As children get older, pre-teen or teen, they increase their capacity for giving and understanding. Their charitable opportunities also increase. Volunteering opportunities can develop greater empathy. Having a greater say in family giving – both choosing charities and choosing amounts – offer an important next step in their development. Pre-teen and teen children can better appreciate what they have through charity. They learn more about what others, not always as fortunate, have too. Through charitable giving teens can develop social skills, business skills and greater capacity for judgment. Consider opening a charitable account with teen children or grandchildren. Charitable accounts like donor-advised funds, supervised by a parent or guardian, offer further opportunities for growth and greater responsibility. As children become adults they may have particular interests in philanthropy. Pursuing charitable interests can develop lifelong connections and skills. They also offer opportunities for family members to connect and share common values. Charitable giving offers happiness, fulfillment and a...
