Charitable giving is an important part of any estate planning conversation. With sensitivity, listen and ask the right questions. Common questions include:

• What are the charitable causes you value, cherish, and feel passionate about?
• What are the organizations or causes where you volunteer your time?
• Are there causes or charities you support now that you would like to continue supporting after you are gone?

These conversation starters present opportunities for clients to share their interests, passions, and where they might direct charitable support during life and in legacy. By sharing what legacy charitable gifts are and how they work, helping your clients articulate their goals, and then formalizing them in a written plan via the proper legal documentation, you can help your clients tie up a few of “life’s loose ends”—far in advance of when their legacy gift is actually made—and give them peace of mind knowing it will actually get done.

There are opportune times at which the legacy planning conversation may be more natural. For example, making charitable planning a part of your intake process as a standard introductory question as you are gathering pertinent data needed to serve your clients well is the perfect place to raise the question. For existing clients, present charitable planning as opportunities and solutions for year-end tax planning. Charitable giving allows clients to support their favorite causes while receiving tax-related benefits.

Finally, celebrate National Estate Planning Awareness Week (October 16-22, 2023) by inviting your clients to consider protecting their assets to ensure their family, loved ones, and favorite charities are cared for as they wish. DuPage Foundation can help you and your clients create a personalized charitable plan that will meet their unique needs and benefit the causes that matter most to them in DuPage County and beyond.