Charitable Planning

Protecting Your Family & Legacy

Charitable Planning Attorneys in Madison

Call (608) 292-5185 for a Free Consultation

As the recent tragedy of the pandemic of COVID-19 revealed, disaster can strike the world at any time. When this occurs, we do not look to superheroes with miraculous powers such as laser-vision or lightning speed to save us. Instead, it is up to ordinary people to contribute in any way possible to protect the most vulnerable and aid those who are suffering.

Here at Estate Law Partners, LLC, we encourage those who are involved in estate planning but simultaneously desire to dedicate some of their finances towards those who need the most.

As fellow humans, we have the responsibility to care for the world, or at least our own corner of it, to the best of our ability. If you are desiring to leave a legacy to communities and individuals who need it the most, get in touch with our charitable planning lawyers in Madison.


Call us today at (608) 292-5185 to get advice from our supportive estate planning attorneys about planning for charity.


Organizing Charitable Planning

When it comes to selecting a charity to donate to, it can be quite difficult to decide, since there are so many communities that need aid and so many valuable and worthy causes to support. You do not have to necessarily decide on helping a single charity either – it is entirely possible to use your estate plan to support your church, a local establishment, your alma mater, or large global or international organization.

Our attorneys are able to help you sort out all of the financial and legal details of caring for the needs of whichever charity or charities you desire to donate to, aiding you in designating the amounts of finances and duration of time for these grants.

The Stories That Matter Most

Read About Real Client's Experiences
  • “They explain the process in terms that are easily understandable and always have your best interests in mind.”

    - Barbara
  • “I am very pleased to have everything in order in such a professional way.”

    - Kathy
  • “[Matt] was very helpful...”

    - Troy
  • “From the support staff to the attorneys, everyone has been responsive and attentive.”

    - Richard
  • “The partners very knowledgeable and you can tell they enjoy what they do. The entire staff I'd very helpful and pleasant to work with.”

    - Maggie

    How Do I Incorporate Charitable Giving into My Estate Plan?

    Charitable giving comes in many forms. Some people donate annually to their favorite charities, while others may volunteer their time or professional services. When it comes to benefitting different groups of people through voluntary philanthropy, we can explore the various options with you.

    Some of the ways that you can opt to make a charitable gift include:

    • Specify giving in your will. In general, including a charitable contribution in your estate plan can help to decrease estate tax liabilities, which can maximize the assets you leave to your family. An attorney can help to ensure your charitable donations are properly set out in your will.
    • Private foundations: You can establish a foundation that is responsible for managing, contributing, and investing charitable assets. You could enjoy tax benefits and create an excellent vehicle for helping causes you care about.
    • Charitable remainder trusts or Charitable gift annuities: With these types of trusts, you can transfer your donations to a charitable organization or trust in exchange for a steady quarterly or monthly payout.
    • Charitable lead trusts: Under this structure, your trust provides income payments to your charitable organization for a fixed period of time. At the end of this period, the assets are paid to the beneficiaries.
    • Donor advised funds: You establish a fund to make charitable, tax-deductible donations. These contributions are invested and grow tax-free. After that, these funds can be given as grants to your favorite charities.
    • Donate your retirement accounts: You can designate the charity of your choice as the beneficiary of your retirement accounts. Since charities are exempt from both income and estate taxes, you guarantee that your favorite charity will receive 100% of your retirement account's value.

    Additional Benefits of Charitable Causes

    Obviously the most important reason for donating to charitable causes is to help those who are especially struggling in the harsh circumstances that life has given them. However, in addition to the overall shared benefit that comes from supporting humanitarian causes – that of making our world a safer, kinder place – aiding charitable causes traditionally offers other personal benefits as well.

    Many gifts offer the benefactor an income tax deduction. By saving taxes of capital gains, certain charitable strategies can increase income, which can support your family or help other humanitarian groups. They can also offer deductions on estate tax as well, which is a helpful contribution to remember when you are preparing to plan for your estate.

    Flexible & Personalized Options

    Planning for charity is an exciting prospect which we wholeheartedly condone, but it can also be complex to prepare for the precise legal logistics. Our knowledgeable charitable planning attorneys in Madison can give you detailed counsel on maximizing strategies for saving taxes, but can also help you find the most optimal charitable plan based on your personal convictions.

    Related Reading:


    Contact us now at (608) 292-5185 to receive detailed guidance from our dedicated team at Estate Law Partners, LLC.