Many of our clients have charitable giving goals.  We work closely with them to structure their charitable giving in a manner that achieves both their personal goals as well as beneficial tax treatment using a variety of methods, including donor advised funds, charitable split interest trusts, restricted gifts, conservation easements and private foundations.  Often we are able to enhance the amount of assets available for charitable purposes and the gift and estate tax benefits to our clients.  Many of our clients have large art or other collections which require special estate planning, often with a charitable end-goal.  Our services also include drafting and negotiating gift agreements, advice on gifts of appreciated property and techniques for involving younger family members in philanthropic activities.

We advise our clients on the special issues which may arise in an estate when business interests pass to a private foundation, when an estate plan includes a charitable lead trust or charitable remainder trust but the family may want to retain certain assets (e.g., houses and artwork) or when an estate will receive significant income in respect of a decedent (e.g., retirement plans and options) that is intended for charity.

We also provide guidance to charitable organizations, including large private foundations, on structure, governance, domestic and foreign grant-making, and compliance with the numerous IRS and local rules related to their charitable operations.