Advisor Connection - Lehigh Valley Community Foundation

Advisor Connection eNewsletter

Advisor Connection February 2023

Your clients’ 2024 financial and estate planning goals are important, and now is the time to start tackling those strategies, especially after the tax season dust settles. In this issue, we’re covering topics that can help you counsel your philanthropic clients on the advantages of giving appreciated assets. we give advice on helping your clients get ahead in their estate planning by leaning into the flexibility and benefits of a fund at the Community Foundation, including your clients’ ability to leave permanent legacies to support the community for generations to come.

Advisor Connection February 2023

In this issue, we announce the news that we are now working with PNC Institutional Asset Management Group (IAM) as our Outsourced Chief Investment Officer (OCIO) to manage two of the Foundation’s portfolios. LVCF’s decision to partner with PNC IAM underscores our commitment to responsible stewardship of community resources and sustainable fund growth. Through this collaboration, we aim to strengthen our impact in the community and maintain our position as a trusted leader in philanthropy. We also included answers to some tax-time charitable giving questions, a story on the importance of unrestricted gifts to nonprofits, and the impact of keeping charitable giving local—right here in the Lehigh Valley.

Advisor Connection December 2023

We always enjoy hearing from attorneys, accountants, and financial advisors about the questions you’re hearing from your clients as year-end approaches. In this newsletter, we’re covering some highly requested topics including the IRS’s increases to key planning thresholds, including tax bracket breakpoints, standard deductions, QCD increases, and Social Security cost-of-living adjustments. We talk about getting your retired clients’ children and grandchildren more involved in their philanthropy and how to retain the family as clients after the parents are gone.

Advisor Connection November 2023

In this issue, we cover three high-demand topics: 1. Preparing for meetings with philanthropic clients by reviewing their charitable goals, exploring fund types, and highlighting the benefits of community foundation donor-advised funds. 2. Considering life insurance as a charitable giving tool for specific clients, expanding the beneficiary pool to include their community foundation fund. 3. Staying updated on philanthropic sector news, including the Charitable Act, recent IRS rulings on supporting organizations, and the advantages of establishing an area-of-interest or designated fund at the Community Foundation.

Advisor Connection October 2023

It’s October, and the fourth quarter is upon us. The team at LVCF is especially looking forward to talking with many of you about incorporating charitable giving into your clients’ estate plans in honor of National Estate Planning Awareness Week from October 16 to 22. In that spirit, we’ve put together a collection of articles this month’s Advisor Connection that might help guide your discussions with clients.

Advisor Connection August 2023 | PDF

In the August 2023 Advisor Connection we provide some tips on bridging the gaps in multi-generational family philanthropy and now the Community Foundation can help. Also included is a feature on Michael J. Fischer, CLU, ChFC, CASL, President & CEO of Client 1st Financial, and how he makes impactful grants to organizations from the Client 1st Foundation Fund at LVCF.

Advisor Connection May/June 2023 | PDF

Now that advisors have emerged from a busy tax season, your attention may be turning to estate and financial planning for your clients, which could include how to capture charitable bequests through IRA beneficiary designations. And, as always, you want to keep up with the latest news and planning trends that will help you serve your philanthropic clients. We’re covering those topics in this May/June 2023 edition of Advisor Connection newsletter.

Advisor Connection March 2023 | PDF

Many thanks to those of you who have reached out over the last few weeks with questions you’re hearing from your clients. In the March issue we address a couple of the topics that appear to be top of mind. We’ve seen an uptick in inquiries about the types of funds your clients can use to receive Qualified Charitable Distributions; and we are hearing from more and more of you that your business owner clients are interested in exploring ways to wrap charitable gifts into an eventual business exit or liquidity event.

Advisor Connection January 2023 | PDF

In the spirit of the new year and the resolutions that come with it, we’re sharing tips and ideas in this January issue of Advisor Connection that can help individuals, families, and their advisors develop a thoughtful charitable giving plan to make the best of a tough situation. Indeed, planning is a key theme across all areas of charitable giving, especially as you help your clients budget for their 2023 donations, adopt a year-round giving strategy, take advantage of the new “Legacy IRA” rules for QCDs, or consider the increased benefits of a charitable gift annuity as interest rates rise.