Did you know? A donor advised fund (DAF) can be a useful and tax-efficient tool for supporting charities you care about in the near term and can often be incorporated into your longer-term philanthropic plans. Most sponsors will allow you to designate which charities will receive the remaining balance of your DAF subsequent to your passing. This can be a great way to support your passions at Duke with a legacy gift.

How to make a DAF grant to Duke for future impact

1. Contact your DAF sponsor for a beneficiary form to designate Duke University to receive a portion of your DAF after you pass away. This can often be accomplished through your DAF’s website. You may need to specify Duke’s tax ID: 56-0532129.
2. In order to designate your legacy DAF gift to a specific use on campus – such financial aid or support for a school or program – contact Duke’s Office of Gift Planning to discuss your options.

When you name Duke to receive a portion of your DAF as a testamentary gift, please let us know! We would like the opportunity to thank you personally for your generosity. Plus, knowing your intentions in advance will help us ensure that your gift will be allocated as you desire.

Alternatively, you may be able to designate a successor advisor who can recommend grants from your DAF after you pass away.

If you do not designate specific charities as beneficiaries of your DAF or name a successor advisor, many sponsoring organizations may distribute the remaining assets in your DAF according to its own priorities – not yours. Please be sure to carefully consider and document how you would like your DAF to ultimately be distributed.

Download our donor advised fund how-to guide for more information about this giving strategy or contact Duke’s Office of Gift Planning to speak to one of our charitable planning professionals.

About the author

Gift Planning

giftplanning@duke.edu

Duke University’s Office of Gift Planning specializes in charitable gift planning for estates, charitable trusts and annuities, and other complex current and future gift plans.

For more information, please contact the Duke University Office of Gift Planning at 919-681-0464 or giftplanning@duke.edu.