A donor-advised fund (DAF) is a type of giving program that allows you to combine favorable tax benefits with the flexibility of easily supporting your favorite charities. An increasingly popular charitable vehicle, DAFs are an excellent way to both simplify your charitable giving and facilitate your strategic philanthropic goals.
- Establish your DAF by making a tax-deductible donation to a public charity that sponsors a DAF program.
- Advise the investment allocation of the donated assets.
- Designate donations to qualified public charities of your choice, such as to Unseen.
- Simplicity – The DAF sponsor handles all record-keeping, disbursements, and tax receipts.
- Flexibility – Timing of your tax deduction can be separate from your charitable decision making.
- Tax-efficiency – Contributions are tax-deductible and any investment growth in the DAF is tax-free. It is also easy to donate long-term appreciated securities, eliminating capital gains taxes and allowing you to support multiple charities from one block of stock.
- Family legacy – A DAF is a powerful way to build or continue a tradition of family philanthropy.
- No start-up costs – There is no cost to establish a donor-advised fund. However, there are often minimum initial charitable contributions to establish the DAF (typically $5,000 or more).
- No transaction fees – Once approved, 100% of your recommended grant goes to your qualified public charity of choice.
- Privacy if desired – Donors may choose to remain anonymous to the grant recipient.
- You (or an entity) can make an irrevocable contribution to a sponsoring charitable organization to establish a donor-advised fund (DAF). You can become your DAF’s donor-advisor.
- The sponsoring organization allocates your contribution to your DAF. You can name your DAF, i.e., The John Doe Fund.
- You, as donor-advisor, can advise the investment allocation for your DAF. Since your DAF’s assets belong to the sponsoring organization, any investment growth is tax-free for you.
- You, as donor-advisor, can advise DAF disbursements, i.e., X dollars shall be granted to Unseen, Y dollars shall be granted to Z charity, etc.
- Once the sponsoring organization approves your recommended disbursement, grants are made to Unseen and/or to additional organizations of your choice.
- DAF Direct allows you to donate from your Fidelity Charitable account, Schwab Charitable account, or other DAF accounts. If you have an account through another financial institution, please contact that institution directly to make a donation as described.