Donor Motivation: How to Start the ‘Giving Conversation’ In this episode of West Michigan Philanthropy, Miller Johnson Attorney John T. McFarland welcomes Teresa Reid, Catholic Foundation of West Michigan’s Gift Planning Officer, to discuss tips on uncovering donor motivations and how to have legacy giving conversations. About Our Guests: Teresa Reid Teresa Reid has more […]

Why Donors Establish Charitable Gift Annuities In this episode of West Michigan Philanthropy, Miller Johnson Attorney John T. McFarland welcomes Mark Tremaine, Cornerstone University Regional Stewardship Manager, to discuss why charitable gift annuities are popular with donors age 55 and older. About Our Guests: Mark Tremaine Mark Tremaine serves Cornerstone University as the Regional Stewardship […]

Understanding Charitable Remainder Unitrusts (CRUTs) In this episode of West Michigan Philanthropy, Miller Johnson Attorney John T. McFarland, and Carolyn Kley Fanning, with Hillsdale College, discuss the ins and outs of Charitable Remainder Unitrusts (CRUTs).  CRUTs provide taxpayers with the opportunity to bypass capital gains taxes, increase income, and obtain a charitable income tax deduction.  […]

Donor Advised Funds:  A Simple and Strategic Way to Give to Charity A donor advised fund (DAF) provides donors with the opportunity to take an immediate charitable income tax deduction for their contributions to the fund. Donors may then make grant recommendations to the DAF administrator for grant distributions to any qualified public charity. In this […]

How New Secure Act Provides Tax Benefits To Donors In the premiere episode of West Michigan Philanthropy, Miller Johnson Attorney John T. McFarland explores Secure Act 2.0’s new tax advantages with qualified charitable distributions with Jennifer Yelovina, Senior Director of Gift Planning at Western Michigan University, and Brad Kaufmann, Director of Planned Giving at Mary […]