The unexpected onslaught of COVID-19 has produced many responses – including the Federal Reserve reducing interest rates to historic lows. One key interest rate — known as the IRS discount rate (or Internal Revenue Code section “7520 rate”) — directly affects the deduction value of certain types of charitable gifts. The last time this rate approached […]

In an effort to stimulate the U.S. economy following the onset of The Great Recession in 2008, the Federal Reserve Bank reduced interest rates to historic lows. Post-2008 fixed income investments—including bonds, Certificates of Deposit, and money market funds—fell dramatically and investors who relied heavily on those assets suffered the most. Likewise, the payout rates […]

As we gaze into our ever prescient crystal ball—what future do we foresee for charitable gift planning?  Answer: a VERY bright one! (Well, what did you expect me to say?) Let’s ignore the conjecture so often offered in light of congressional and presidential proposals, oil price fluctuations, and world events and consider where we are, […]