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Bringing Charitable Giving into Estate Planning

Estate planning conversations cover a lot of ground. People are thinking about their families, their assets, the people they want to provide for, and what they want to leave behind. For clients who care about charitable giving, there is another question worth including in that conversation: Are there charitable causes you would like to include in your estate plan?

It’s a simple question, but it can open the door to a much bigger conversation about what matters to your client and how they want their generosity to continue in the future.

Charitable Giving Belongs in the Estate Planning Conversation

Each October, National Estate Planning Awareness Week reminds us of the importance of planning ahead. An estate plan is about so much more than just deciding where assets go. It can also reflect a client’s priorities, values, and hopes for the future. Still, charitable intentions can be easy to overlook when there are so many other financial, legal, and family considerations to address.

Research shows that clients want their advisors to help start these conversations. The 2026 TPI Study of the Philanthropic Conversation found that 80% of high-net-worth clients believe that advisors should talk with them about charitable giving. Among clients who had discussed charitable giving with their advisors, 93% said the advisor’s role was important.

Start with What Matters to Your Client

Your client does not have to think of themselves as a “philanthropist” to have charitable goals. They may care deeply about education, the arts, healthcare, housing, animals, the environment, or another community need. They may want to continue supporting a church, school, or organization that has played an important role in their life. Asking about those types of interests gives you an opportunity to learn more about what your client wants their estate plan to accomplish.

From there, the conversation can move into how those wishes might take shape. Depending on your client’s goals and circumstances, that could include a gift to a favorite organization, directing certain assets to a charitable cause, or a Legacy Fund through the Athens Area Community Foundation.

A Legacy Fund can allow your client to support one or more nonprofit organizations, give back to the community in ways that matter to them, and create a charitable plan that can continue after they’re gone.

Bring AACF Into the Conversation

You don’t have to navigate every charitable planning question on your own. The Athens Area Community Foundation works alongside professional advisors to help individuals and families explore giving options that align with their charitable goals. Our team can help think through the causes and organizations to support, explore Legacy Funds and other charitable giving vehicles, and better understand needs and opportunities within our local community.

You remain the client’s trusted legal, tax, or financial advisor. AACF can serve as a philanthropic resource when charitable giving becomes part of the conversation. When you and your client are ready to explore what their charitable legacy could look like, the Athens Area Community Foundation is here to help.