As the year winds down, many people start thinking about two things at once: the causes they care about and the tax picture they’ll see in April. With a little planning, charitable contributions and tax benefits can work together. Here are three strategies to consider before December 31.

1. Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs)

If you’re 70½ or older and have a traditional IRA, a QCD lets you send money directly from your IRA to a qualified charity—up to $111,000 per person in 2026—without that amount ever showing up as taxable income. For clients subject to Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs), a QCD can satisfy some or all of that year’s RMD while keeping adjusted gross income lower than if you took the distribution and then wrote a check to charity.

This can be an efficient way to give, especially if you don’t itemize deductions. The tax benefit comes from the income never being counted, rather than from a deduction claimed later. The distribution must go directly from your IRA custodian to the charity, so it’s worth starting the paperwork early in December.

2. Mind the December 15 Deadline

Some gifts take longer to process than a simple check. Transfers of appreciated stock, mutual fund shares or contributions through a donor-advised fund (see below) often need extra time to be completed before year-end. We encourage clients to initiate these gifts by December 15 to allow a buffer for processing, especially during the busy final weeks of the year. Waiting until December 28 to transfer stock can create unnecessary year-end stress.

3. Donor-Advised Funds (DAFs)

A donor-advised fund lets you contribute cash, stock or other assets now, take the tax deduction in the year you contribute, and recommend grants to your favorite charities on your own timeline—even years down the road. This can be particularly useful in a high-income year or if you’re “bunching” several years of giving into one tax year to exceed the standard deduction threshold. It also provides a way to give appreciated securities without triggering capital gains tax, since the fund sells the shares, not you.

A Final Word of Caution

Each strategy has details that matter, including income limits, custodian deadlines and coordination with your overall tax picture. None is a substitute for considering your specific situation. If you’d like to talk through which strategies may make sense for you this year, reach out. We’re happy to help you make the most of your giving before the year closes.