Spring 2023
Dear Advisors,

As we emerge from a busy tax season, your focus may be turning to other pressing matters for your clients, including estate and financial planning. With that in mind, we're sharing how you can structure your clients' beneficiary designations to achieve the most tax-efficient results. We're also hearing from many of you that your business owner clients are interested in exploring ways to wrap charitable gifts into an eventual business exit or liquidity event.

As always, we want to provide you with the latest news and planning trends that will help you serve your philanthropic clients. In this issue, we're featuring the top three reasons to talk with your clients about charitable giving, as well as two charitable fund types that are often overlooked, despite the high value they can deliver to your client and to the community.

If we have not yet had a chance to work together, please reach out. Our team would welcome the opportunity to learn how we can be a useful, behind-the-scenes resource for the charitable components of your services. We're always available to answer your questions about philanthropy or to schedule a personal consultation with you and your clients – all at no cost.

With gratitude,
Laura Lederer
Senior Director of Development & Advisor Relations
Akron Community Foundation
330-436-5611
Among the dozens of reasons to talk with your clients about their charitable giving plans are what many advisors consider to be the top three: tax-saving strategies, serving clients across multiple generations, and the responsibility to assist your clients in achieving their charitable goals.

When your client names a charitable fund at the community foundation as the beneficiary of a traditional IRA or qualified employer retirement plan, they can achieve extremely tax-efficient results. Read on to learn which assets your client should leave to their heirs and which are best given to charity.

As an advisor to business owners, you have the unique ability to help your clients leverage future liquidity events to support their favorite causes. Advance planning is critical when discussing the sale of a closely held business, and the best outcomes are achieved through a thoughtful, multi-step process.

Although not as well known as donor-advised funds, designated and field-of-interest funds offer an array of benefits to the donor, including the opportunity to take advantage of tax savings through a Qualified Charitable Distribution. Learn more about the value these funds can bring to your clients.

Professional Advisor Reception in Green

June 29 | 5 p.m.
The Twisted Olive
ACF's 68th Annual Meeting

July 11 | 5:30 p.m.
Hilton Akron/Fairlawn
Gift Planning CE Seminar featuring Bryan Clontz

Oct. 19 | All Day
NEOMED
This spring, Akron Community Foundation is hosting a series of gatherings to connect members of our Professional Advisor Council with the nonprofits serving our community. Advisors have enjoyed coffee or cocktails while hearing from the leaders of organizations like South Street Ministries, Girls on the Run Northeast Ohio, and Stewart's Caring Place. The next event will take place June 22 with speakers from Grace House Akron and the Hope & Healing Survivor Resource Center. If you're interested in attending future events, contact Laura Lederer to learn how you can join our Professional Advisor Council. The council is made up of the area's leading tax, estate and financial planning experts, and we welcome you to join us.
Advisor Referral Spotlight
The Norma B. Summerville Scholarship Foundation Fund was established at Akron Community Foundation in 2016 by the Norma B. Summerville Scholarship Foundation. Upon transferring the assets to the community foundation, the scholarship foundation's board elected to have financial advisor Chad Immel of Edward Jones continue to manage the fund's assets through ACF's outside investment manager policy. The policy allows advisors who refer funds of at least $250,000 with the potential to become $1 million to retain the asset if they follow the foundation’s investment policy and are approved by its board of directors. Since then, the Norma B. Summerville Scholarship Foundation Fund has awarded nearly 100 scholarships totaling more than $280,000 to female graduates of Akron Public Schools who demonstrate academic achievement and financial need. We're grateful to Chad and all the financial planning professionals who have advised their philanthropic clients to establish a charitable fund at Akron Community Foundation. Contact us to learn how we can partner with you to help your clients achieve their charitable goals.
In Other News...
Check out our new issue of The Signal for the latest news from Akron Community Foundation. In this edition, we're telling the story of several local food pantries and how food insecurity in our community has increased amid inflation and expiring SNAP benefits.
Did You Know?
Donor-advised funds at Akron Community Foundation are one of the most popular and flexible giving vehicles available to your clients. Keep these fast facts handy for your next client meeting:

  • The minimum gift to establish a fund is just $5,000 (or $300 with a donor-advised starter fund), and donors pay no out-of-pocket expenses.

  • Funds can be established in less than a day, and ACF handles all the paperwork.

  • Funds can be named in honor of the donor's family or company, or the donor may choose to remain anonymous.

  • Donors can recommend grants to any 501(c)(3) public charity, including those outside of Summit and Medina counties.

  • Donors can name successor advisors to their fund, including children and grandchildren, and share their family values with the next generation.

  • For an annual fee of approximately 2%, ACF takes care of all tax filings, gift acknowledgments, and record keeping.


  • Gifts to donor-advised funds are deductible up to 60% of AGI on gifts of cash, and 30% on gifts of appreciated assets like stock, mutual funds and real estate.
Additional Resources

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Laura Lederer
Senior Director of Development & Advisor Relations
330-436-5611
Akron Community Foundation 
345 West Cedar St., Akron, OH 44307
Office Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday