Philanthropy is an increasingly important area of opportunity for planners and clients. This course presents philanthropic planning within the context of values-based planning and examines the multiple ways clients benefit from philanthropy and what advisors gain from incorporating philanthropic planning in their practice.  Most importantly, you will also learn how to facilitate meaningful and productive philanthropic conversations with clients that will ultimately help them achieve their philanthropic goals. 

• Understand the limits of traditional estate planning and the possible consequences of wealth transferred without values 
• Recognize how philanthropy fits in values-based planning  
• Understand the various benefits that clients can enjoy through philanthropy
• Learn how to effectively probe client’s interests, attitudes, motivations and preferences related to philanthropy 
• Identify potential issues and obstacles to your clients’ giving 

Thoughtfully designed bequests and beneficiary designations are vital to a well-constructed estate plan and charitable legacy. In this course, you will gain a greater understanding of charitable bequests and how they work, particularly through wills, living trusts and beneficiary designation accounts, and how each of these vehicles works to meet client goals and objectives.  

• Identify and describe the components of planned giving and the attributes of planned giving donors 
• Understand the difference between revocable and irrevocable planned gifts
• Understand the benefits and types of charitable bequests  
• Explain bequests by wills, livings trusts and beneficiary designation accounts 
• Explain the benefits of using retirement plans to meet clients’ charitable objectives 

Financial Planners must have an understanding of the various alternatives available to help high net worth clients fulfill their charitable intentions. In this course you’ll become acquainted with split-interest charitable gifts, specifically gift annuities and retained life estates.  You will also learn how to effectively guide your clients in considering gifts and strategies that meet their charitable goals. 

• Distinguish split-interest charitable gifts and the associated benefits 
• Understand and describe gift annuities, their types and benefits and the client situations they are best suited for 
• Understand and describe retained life estates and the client situations they are best suited for 

Charitable Remainder Trusts (CRT) are an attractive financial and/or estate planning tool for planners and their clients when done correctly.  In this course, you will learn about the financial and tax benefits, different types and uses, common applications and special considerations of CRTs.  Through various case scenarios, you will also learn how to appropriately harness their problem-solving benefits, combining their tax and income benefits with the special needs, goals and family situations of clients. 

• Define and describe CRTs, how they work and their benefits to clients 
• Explain the financial and tax advantages associated with CRTs
• Describe the different types of CRTs and their uses
• Recall important considerations when planning to sell real estate in CRTs

Determining the best strategy for your clients to fulfill their charitable intentions is a key part of the planning process. This course will examine the shared appeal of private foundations, Donor Advised Funds, endowments and Charitable Lead Trusts, distinguish how each of these vehicles functions, their advantages and disadvantages, and the attributes of clients best suited for each vehicle to fulfill their philanthropic objectives.  

• Describe the benefits and limitations of private foundations 
• Describe how Donor Advised Funds work and when they are a good fit for clients
• Describe the appeal of endowments and identify the attributes of clients best suited for them
• Illustrate how non-grantor charitable lead trusts work and identify client situations that would warrant their consideration

This course discusses the tangible and intangible benefits of altruism in families and the role of family philanthropy in effective wealth and business succession.   Discover the simple and proven ways to present the integration of charitable and family legacies through charitable bequests. And finally, look at case studies inspired by real-life donor stories depicting various charitable strategies to address the unique needs of various family situations where tax savings were not necessarily the only driving concern.

• Identify ways families can benefit from the practice of family philanthropy 
• Review how to approach charitable gifts with a values-based planning lens 
• Develop ways to integrate and balance charitable and family legacies through bequests
• Recommend a plan for maximizing which blended strategies best achieve the client’s philanthropic goals and other objectives