Fund Advisors
Studies show there is a real psychological benefit to philanthropy – it gives us a feeling of value and satisfaction and it feeds our desire to make a difference in our community. Many people making their estate plans are also thinking about how they will be remembered after they are gone.
Four County Community Foundation can provide your clients with a simple, compelling, and decidedly personal approach to giving. We offer a variety of giving tools to help individuals achieve their charitable goals. Gifts of cash, stocks, bonds, real estate, or other assets can be given to the Foundation. Most charitable gifts to Four County Community Foundation are eligible for federal tax deductions.
Your client may be looking for a way to make a significant gift to serve the needs of their community. Four County Community Foundation gives your clients a unique giving experience, tailored to suit his or her situation and objectives. The Foundation has many resources to assist you as you work with your clients on charitable gifts.
Advisor's Circle
Professional advisors who have helped work on a major gift with their clients are recognized as members of our Advisor’s Circle. Advisors with a number after their name have worked on multiple gifts.
- Brian Delekta (2)
- Shane Diehl (1)
- Sebastian V. Grassi (1)
- Cynthia Lane (1)
- Ed Lynch (3)
- Henry Malburg (2)
- Sean O’Bryan (7)
- Barb Quain (1)
- Ronald W. Rickard (4)
On behalf of the communities we serve, many thanks to all of you!
If you are an advisor and have questions , please contact Kathy Dickens using the form below.
Is giving to Four County Community Foundation right for your clients?
Seven questions for estate and financial advisors
- Do I have clients who care deeply about their local community?
- Do my clients give to more than one charitable cause?
- Are they interested in creating a personal or family legacy in their community?
- Are they considering the creation of a private foundation, but concerned about cost and administrative complexity?
- Would my client like to stay personally involved in the use of their gift dollars?
- Do they want to receive maximum tax benefit for their charitable contributions under federal law?
- Do they place a priority on sound financial management of their contributions?
If you answered YES to any of these questions, your clients would benefit from knowing more about Four County Community Foundation.
Helping your clients achieve their charitable goals
Many clients want their professional advisors to help them plan charitable giving. We can work with you to help your client fulfill his/her charitable goals. Conversations with your clients:
- What are your client’s personal motivations for charitable giving?
- What are your client’s charitable interests in the community?
- What are your client’s priorities when focusing on a few areas may make the greatest impact?
- What level of involvement does your client want to have in identifying charitable uses for his/her gift?
- What type of giving instrument best fits your client’s financial situation and tax status?
Year-end tax planning
Your client just earned a large bonus and wants to give a portion back to the community but has no time to decide on the most deserving charities. Recommend establishing a Donor Advised Fund through Four County Community Foundation for an immediate tax deduction, and the ability to stay involved in recommending uses for the gift for years to come.
Preserving an estate
Estate planning identifies significant taxes going to the IRS, but your client wants to direct dollars for local benefit. Four County Community Foundation can work with you and your client to reduce his/her taxable estate through a charitable bequest or other planned gift. Your client’s gift will create a legacy of caring in the community that stays true to his/her charitable intent forever.
Retiring in comfort
Your client is concerned about running out of money during his/her lifetime but has always been charitable. Recommend establishing a life income gift (such as a charitable remainder trust) at Four County Community Foundation that pays income potentially for life. Upon your client’s death, the gift can be distributed by the Foundation in accordance with his/her charitable interests.
Establishing a private foundation
Your client is thinking about establishing a private foundation, but is looking for a simpler, more cost-efficient alternative. Four County Community Foundation can help you and your client analyze the pros and cons of creating a donor advised fund, a supporting organization, or a private foundation.
Closely held stock
Your client’s personal net worth is primarily tied up in a closely held company, but it is important for him/her to give back to the community. Recommend establishing a fund or planned gift with Four County Community Foundation. Your client is eligible for a tax deduction measured by the fair market value of appreciated stock (less any planned gift value).
Sale or disposition of highly appreciated stock
Your client has appreciated stock and wants to use a portion of the gains for charitable giving, but the identified charities are too small to accept direct stock gifts. Suggest establishing a fund at Four County Community Foundation with a gift of appreciated stock. Your client receives a tax deduction on the full market value, while avoiding the capital gains tax that would otherwise arise from sale of the stock. Your client can even be involved in recommending uses for the gift, including the organizations and programs he/she cares about most.
Sale of a business
Your client owns highly appreciated stock in a company that is about to be acquired. The Foundation can work with you to suggest several ways to structure a charitable gift (including the use of planned giving techniques) to help your client reduce capital gains tax and maximize impact to the community.
Strategic giving
Your client is passionate about helping meet a specific community need and wants to make a meaningful gift. You and your client can work with our grantmaking experts to understand community needs and programs and then direct gift dollars to make the greatest impact.
Substantial IRA/401(k) assets
Your client wants to leave his/her estate to community and family, and has substantial assets in retirement accounts. The community foundation can help you and your clients evaluate the most beneficial asset distribution to minimize taxes, giving more to his/her heirs and preserving charitable intent.
Additional Resources for Advisors
Fund Options
Your client may make a gift to any of our existing funds or create a new fund to support their interests. An endowed gift assures your clients that their donation will benefit the community for good, forever!
Giving Options
To help your client learn more about all the ways to give, offer him/her the following information.
Tools for Giving
Tools for Giving documents may be downloaded and printed for your client.
Sample Bequest Language
When your client makes a gift to Four County Community Foundation through their will or trust agreement, they can choose to benefit the entire community, a specific cause, a certain program or organization, a scholarship fund, or other causes they care about.
The Foundation will oversee their gift and work to insure the funds are used as your client intended. If a charity closes its doors or dramatically changes its program, the Foundation will continue to support programs that most closely match your clients’ original intentions.
We want to recognize your clients for their generosity during their lifetimes as members of our Legacy Society. You or the client can simply notify us when arrangements have been made to include Four County Community Foundation in their estate plans.
The following is sample language to use in estate planning documents, such as a will, to establish a fund, or add assets to an existing fund within Four County Community Foundation:
Bequest to a named unrestricted fund
“I give to Four County Community Foundation, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization located in Almont, MI, (insert the percentage of your estate, trust or a sum of money) OR (all my right, title and interest in the following described property _________). This gift shall be used to establish the ________ Fund and shall be invested and distributed at the sole discretion of Four County Community Foundation’s Board of Trustees.” (If you wish to name additional beneficiaries, please state them here.)
Bequest to a donor advised fund
“I give to Four County Community Foundation, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization located in Almont, MI, (insert the percentage of your estate, trust or a sum of money) OR (all my right, title and interest in the following described property _________). This gift shall be used to establish the ________ Fund. I would like (insert names) to recommend grant recipients from the Fund. I understand Four County Community Foundation’s Board of Trustees holds legal responsibility for the Fund and is solely responsible for the investment of and distributions from the Fund.” (If you wish to name additional beneficiaries, please state them here.)
Bequest to a restricted fund
“I give to Four County Community Foundation, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization located in Almont, MI, (insert the percentage of your estate, trust or a sum of money) OR (all my right, title and interest in the following described property _________). This gift shall be used to establish the _________ Fund. This fund is designed to support the (insert name of agency or organization). I understand Four County Community Foundation’s Board of Trustees holds legal responsibility for the Fund and is solely responsible for the investment of and distributions from the Fund. (If you wish to name additional beneficiaries, please state them here.)
Bequest to a field of interest fund
“I give to Four County Community Foundation, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization located in Almont, MI, (insert the percentage of your estate, trust or a sum of money) OR (all my right, title and interest in the following described property _________). This gift shall be used to establish the _________ Fund, which is designed to benefit (insert field of interest, such as the arts, youth or a specific town or city). I understand Four County Community Foundation’s Board of Trustees holds legal responsibility for the Fund and is solely responsible for the investment of and distributions from the Fund. (If you wish to name additional beneficiaries, please state them here.)
Bequest to a scholarship fund
“I give to Four County Community Foundation, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization located in Almont, MI, (insert the percentage of your estate, trust or a sum of money) OR (all my right, title and interest in the following described property _________). This gift shall be used to establish the _________ Fund, which is designed to benefit (insert what you want the scholarship to support: students in need, students at a specific college/university, or students in a specific major). I understand Four County Community Foundation’s Board of Trustees holds legal responsibility for the Fund and is solely responsible for the investment of and distributions from the Fund.