Sharpe Blog

Sharpe Group has experienced a lot over the past 50+ years in consulting with many of the leading nonprofits on donor stewardship and planned giving. This week brings unprecedented uncertainty to the world, the markets and ultimately to the important missions that our clients devote their careers to passionately serving. With this in mind, we …Read More

“Over the last seven sessions, the Dow has lost 2,271 points, or 20.1%. Since hitting an all-time high of 14,164.53 one year ago today, the Dow has lost 39.4%.” “‘We are in a free fall right now and fundamentals have been thrown out the window,’ said Phil Orlando, chief equity market strategist at Federated Investors.” …Read More

The Coronavirus or COVID-19 is spreading around the world at an alarming pace. With the uncertainty of its progression, anxiety amongst all is a huge factor. Social distancing has become a popular mechanism to help limit exposure between all of us. It is important to maintain a close relationship with your donors during these uncertain …Read More

Dealing with prospective donors face-to-face can be key to raising major individual gifts; however, with the rising concern over the COVID-19 Coronavirus things may become more complicated. Here are some best practices and alternatives to consider. When meeting face-to-face, practice “social distancing”. Maintain a three to six-foot distance between you and those you are meeting. …Read More

In this ongoing blog, I write a fair amount about gift planning strategies. For example, the last two blog pieces were about planning strategies with PIFs. And, in real life, my only clients are charities. But I earn my living pretty much not by crafting gift planning strategies, but by solving problems and answering questions. …Read More

Last time, we looked at the total return PIF. It turns out, IRS regs also permit a pooled unitrust. It’s a pooled income fund that makes a unitrust payout. It works from a tax standpoint like a regular PIF with one catch. To understand the “catch”, we need to understand how a garden variety PIF …Read More

I’m a tax lawyer, not an economist, but in my experience and thinking, interest rates play a far bigger role in gift planning than tax laws. Back in the early 1980s, when interest rates were sky-high, practically no one wanted a gift annuity. Those were the hey days of pooled income funds. Today, in an …Read More

Some information you may find helpful. First, for individuals who attain 70.5 years of age after 2019, the age at which RMDs must begin is raised to age 72. Age 70.5 continues to be the age at which QCDs (so-called IRA rollover gifts to charity) can begin to be made…but for individuals who haven’t reached …Read More

Author note: This is an opinion piece. Feel free to disagree.   At the CGP national conference in New Orleans in October 2019, much discussion occurred in the Leadership session about the charitable gift planning opportunities under the SECURE Act, which was recently signed into law. The SECURE Act eliminates the stretch-out IRA for non-spouse …Read More

Some charities count bequest provisions in wills of living individuals. Usually, the charity requires a copy of that portion of the will that provides for the charity. If it were up to me, I’d use the “two sets of books” approach discussed last time in connection with pledges. For “public consumption” I’d have a minimum …Read More