Charitable Foundations
Establishing a Foundation
Many of our clients, when they feel comfortable in their own financial futures, turn to establishing a legacy that will make a positive difference in the world, even beyond their own lifetimes. A charitable foundation is a powerful, tax-advantaged tool to create a lasting difference.

Important Aspects of Charitable Foundations
Foundations are an advanced tool for high-net-worth clients. They offer many benefits, but there are several important characteristics of charitable foundations to understand:
- The original contribution to the charity is a permanent, irrevocable gift.
- The founder’s contribution can be a one-time event, or founders can gift recurring donations to the extent they desire.
- One founder can serve on the decision-making Board alone or appoint any others as he or she desires.
- Contributions are tax-deductible up to the amount allowed by law.
- Foundations must be operated exclusively for tax-exempt purposes, including the promotion of education, health, community, or religious objectives.
- Foundations cannot be used to benefit the founder or founder’s family.
How We Help
For clients who have not yet established foundations, we provide guidance throughout every step, including helping clients determine appropriate Board members, decide how much is a feasible amount to contribute to the foundation, and planning the foundation’s long-term strategy.
Once the foundation has been established, we manage the foundation’s investable assets, including analyzing appropriate investments for the foundation in terms of risk and return as well as in alignment with the foundation’s mission and objectives.
Focused on Back-End Work
We also provide all the necessary back-end work for foundations, including the administration, oversight of tax filings, and paperwork that are required for proper tax and legal compliance. By managing all the necessary but non-charitable tasks, we leave our clients free to dedicate their time to their passion: managing the charitable activities of their foundation.
Finally, we integrate our client’s foundation with the rest of their financial and asset management plan, including tax planning, estate and legacy planning, retirement analysis, and asset management.