Sharpe Blog

By Chris Woehrle The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) imposes a floor and a cap on charitable giving for tax years beginning in 2026. For all itemizers, a new 0.5% floor applies, meaning the first 0.5% of AGI contributed generates no tax benefit. Only the excess of contributions over the floor generates tax savings. …Read More

We asked the Sharpe Group team to share their favorite things about Thanksgiving. Here are some of their thoughts and reminiscences. The gratitude, dredging up old family recipes, football on TV and the adorable way my Midwestern wife calls Thanksgiving dressing “stuffing.” —Grant Miller Being with family and friends. —Cindy Hatler Turkey and dressing leftovers …Read More

The IRS recently announced their annual inflation adjustments for taxes, affecting more than 60 tax provisions. Some changes from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) take place beginning tax year 2025 (thus changing the original 2025 rates), while some do not take effect until tax year 2026. These tables may be helpful as you …Read More

Gift planners are often called upon to do more than raise money. While many do not offer legal advice, they help encourage donors to make sure their wishes—charitable or otherwise—are protected. Basic estate planning principals are often part of a gift planner’s toolbox. If your donor communications haven’t been updated recently, you may be missing …Read More

It’s been proven time and time again that charitable organizations receive much of their annual gifts in the final quarter of the year. As you begin formulating your communications strategy for the fall, it’s important to understand how and why people choose to give during that time of year. Having analyzed results from the marketing …Read More

By Joe Chickey Advisors understand that their primary role is to grow their clients’ wealth over time through tax minimization and investment strategies. 2025 is being called “PEAK 65” as baby boomers reach age 65 in record numbers, with 10,000 turning 65 every day! Additionally, many are selling their businesses and retiring. This offers a …Read More

By Barlow T. Mann As a result of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), there is a new above-the-line charitable deduction for cash gifts from nonitemizers ($1,000 for single filers and $2,000 for those filing MFJ) beginning in 2026. For those who will continue to itemize, gifts of cash remain generally deductible up to …Read More

By Chris Woehrle Section 110190 of the House-passed H.R. 1, One Big Beautiful Bill Act (the “Act”),1 has the potential to upend the financing of public education by providing a tax credit. Specifically, individuals would be entitled to a credit representing the greater of (1) $5,000 or (2) 10% of adjusted gross income (AGI). For …Read More

By Chris Woehrle Restrictions placed by a donor in a gift agreement that limit the amount a willing buyer would pay a willing seller must be considered when determining the amount of the charitable deduction. Rev. Rul. 85-89 offers the example of a donor giving a large plot of land to an agricultural college for …Read More