Advice for the [Good] Life: A Season for Generosity, Stillness, and Gratitude

As another season draws toward its close, we invite you to slow down, settle in, and engage with ideas designed to help you live with greater clarity, intention, and purpose. This newsletter exists not simply to inform, but to encourage—offering guidance that strengthens your financial footing, supports your well-being, and deepens your appreciation for the life you are building.

Our first section, Wealth Advisory, explores the timely and thoughtful art of year-end charitable planning. We examine how generosity can be elevated beyond good intentions and woven into a strategic approach that maximizes impact while enhancing tax efficiency. From evolving legislation to smart structuring and meaningful legacy-building, this section equips you to give wisely and well.

Next, in Wellness Navigator, Christine Despres gently guides us through the often-overlooked necessity of rest during a season that tends to demand everything at once. Her reflections invite us to reclaim calm, protect our energy, and embrace boundaries that honor both body and mind—reminding us that resilience is built not through constant motion, but through intentional stillness.

Finally, our Etcetera section offers a heartfelt Thanksgiving message of gratitude—a pause to acknowledge the relationships, trust, and shared journeys that make this community so rich. It is a reminder that beyond charts and calendars, the true measure of a good life is found in connection, reflection, and sincere appreciation.

If these words resonate, we encourage you to savor them, share them, and pass them along to those who value living thoughtfully and well. May this edition inspire you to give generously, rest deeply, and walk forward with gratitude.

 Wealth Advisory: Maximizing Impact (and Tax Benefits) Through Year-End Charitable Planning

Winston Churchill is often credited with saying that “it is more agreeable to have the power to give than to receive.” As the holiday season approaches, many individuals consider charitable contributions and how philanthropy fits into their broader financial strategy. Strategic charitable planning serves dual purposes: advancing philanthropic objectives while enhancing tax efficiency. The key question extends beyond simply deciding to give—it involves determining the most effective methods to maximize both the positive impact on valued causes and the advantages within your comprehensive financial approach.

This year offers distinct opportunities for strategic charitable contributions. The recently enacted One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) contains provisions that affect planning considerations. Furthermore, contributions counting toward this tax year must be completed by December 31, establishing a timeframe for evaluating your approach to giving. Learning how to properly structure charitable contributions can elevate generosity into a fundamental component of your overall planning framework.

Household wealth has climbed to unprecedented heights.

According to the National Philanthropic Trust, Americans contributed $593 billion to charitable organizations in 2024, representing a 6.3% rise from 2023.¹ This demonstrates that philanthropy continues to hold significance for numerous households, despite a declining percentage of Americans making donations in recent years. The accompanying chart illustrates how household wealth has grown consistently alongside economic expansion and equity market performance. Rising income and accumulated wealth, combined with evolving tax legislation, have established new motivations for charitable contributions.

Philanthropy serves an essential function in estate planning as well. Charitable bequests avoid estate taxation, providing an effective method to decrease estate tax obligations while funding meaningful causes. For individuals whose estates exceed thresholds subject to estate tax, combining lifetime contributions with charitable bequests can substantially lower the tax burden inherited by beneficiaries.

Perhaps most significantly, charitable giving enables families to establish lasting legacies, strengthen shared values across generations, and minimize lifetime tax obligations. For numerous families, philanthropy creates opportunities to engage children and grandchildren in substantive conversations about principles and responsible stewardship. The complexity for individuals lies in the fact that while the motivation to contribute is clear, identifying the optimal strategy demands careful consideration.

Strategic timing and structural decisions carry increased significance.

The OBBBA introduces meaningful modifications affecting charitable contributions. Most notably, it expands the population able to itemize deductions by raising the state and local tax (SALT) deduction cap from $10,000 to $40,000. Because charitable contributions only qualify for tax deductions through itemization, this change elevates their significance in contemporary tax planning.

Moreover, a limited window exists from 2025 through 2029 to optimize contribution timing and structure. Beginning in 2026, the OBBBA establishes a deduction floor for itemizers equal to 0.5% of adjusted gross income (AGI). Only charitable contributions exceeding 0.5% of AGI will qualify for deductions. For instance, someone earning $200,000 in AGI could only deduct donations surpassing $1,000 (0.5% of $200,000).

To address this limitation, some individuals employ “bunching,” which consolidates multiple years of charitable contributions into one tax year to surpass the deduction threshold. This technique has gained traction since the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act approximately doubled the standard deduction, reducing the proportion of households that itemize.

Another important factor involves selecting which assets to contribute. Donating highly appreciated securities delivers three distinct tax advantages: avoiding capital gains tax from selling, eliminating future appreciation from the estate, and generating an ordinary income deduction. For ordinary income deductions, factors include whether the receiving organization is a public or private charity and the donor’s projected AGI. This “triple benefit” proves particularly valuable during years with substantial capital gains, such as when equity compensation vests or following business sales, especially when offsetting losses are unavailable.

Incorporating charitable contributions into portfolio rebalancing can further enhance efficiency. Some individuals prioritize donating appreciated assets from taxable accounts, then replenish positions through purchases in tax-advantaged accounts. This method preserves target asset allocation while optimizing tax benefits.

Common vehicles for charitable contributions.

Various charitable giving mechanisms serve distinct purposes, and choosing the appropriate option depends on individual circumstances and objectives. The following examples represent common approaches, though not a comprehensive list:

Donor-advised funds (DAFs) have experienced substantial growth, with assets surpassing $250 billion.¹ DAFs operate as charitable investment accounts: contributions generate immediate tax deductions, while donors recommend grant distributions to charities over time. Funds can be invested to grow tax-free while determining distribution timing and recipients. DAFs prove especially beneficial during years when maximizing deductions holds importance.

Under current tax regulations, donors can structure DAF contributions to surpass the 0.5% AGI floor threshold previously described. DAFs also offer greater simplicity compared to alternatives, broadening accessibility for diverse donor populations.

Qualified charitable distributions (QCDs) present another alternative for individuals aged 70½ or older holding traditional IRAs. QCDs permit direct transfers up to $108,000 for tax year 2025 from IRAs to charitable organizations. This satisfies required minimum distribution (RMD) obligations while excluding amounts from taxable income. QCDs deliver tax advantages independent of itemization status, making them valuable when itemized deductions offer less benefit.

Charitable remainder trusts (CRTs) provide an additional mechanism supporting charitable objectives within estate planning frameworks. CRTs involve transferring assets into trusts that distribute income to beneficiaries for specified periods, with remaining assets directed to charity. This proves especially useful for highly appreciated assets, as trusts can liquidate them without triggering immediate capital gains taxation.

Like other trust mechanisms, careful structural planning is essential. For instance, certain retained powers could cause asset inclusion in the grantor’s estate. Additionally, naming beneficiaries beyond the grantor or spouse might trigger gift taxation.

For individuals with substantial assets and extended philanthropic horizons, additional considerations include:

• Private foundations, offering maximum oversight and family governance frameworks but requiring higher administrative effort, minimum distribution obligations, and excise taxes on investment earnings
• Charitable lead trusts, distributing income to charity temporarily before transferring assets to heirs
• Supporting organizations, collaborating closely with designated public charities
• Pooled income funds provided by select charitable institutions

These examples illustrate prevalent charitable giving vehicles, though additional options and variations may suit specific circumstances. Consulting trusted advisors helps identify approaches best aligned with individual objectives.

Integrating philanthropy within comprehensive financial planning.

Effective charitable planning incorporates giving into broader financial frameworks rather than treating it as isolated from other financial decisions. This comprehensive perspective examines how charitable contributions intersect with portfolio management, tax strategy, retirement income planning, and estate considerations.

Perhaps most critically, including children and grandchildren in charitable decision-making generates opportunities for discussing family priorities, why particular causes merit support, and how to assess nonprofit effectiveness. These dialogues can represent the most significant elements of wealth planning, ensuring your family’s principles and commitment to stewardship endure across generations.

The bottom line? As year-end nears and new tax regulations create both prospects and considerations, optimizing the timing, structure, and mechanisms for charitable contributions becomes increasingly important. Strategic planning can enhance both your philanthropic influence and your financial objectives.

1. https://www.nptrust.org/philanthropic-resources/charitable-giving-statistics/

Your Wellness Navigator and Holistic Health Guide, Christine Despres, RN, NBC-HWC, CDP

To the Women Holding it Together this Holiday Season 

I see you. I hear you. I am you.

You’re a SUPERwoman, but even she needs time to recuperate and actually slow down enough to nourish herself during the holidays.

There’s a particular energy in the air this season — joyful, yes, but also demanding, urgent, pulling everyone faster. You can feel it buzzing with expectation and occasionally overwhelm.  But you don’t have to match its pace. As the season picks up speed, remember: you’re allowed to press pause.

This November, (and December too) let’s reclaim the gentle art of saying no — to overcommitment, to endless obligations, to the pressure of doing it all.

What we’re saying YES to:

• Mornings that start slowly, without rushing
• Long soaks in the bath or hot tub with no guilt
• Books by the fire that we actually love
• Coffee and tea with friends without checking the time
• Canceling plans when your body asks for rest
• Boundaries that protect our inner peace
• Quiet moments to calm your nervous system
• Going to bed early without explanation

The world will keep spinning if you take the afternoon or evening for yourself. The decorations can wait. The inbox will survive. The kids can eat cereal.

Your well-being isn’t selfish — it’s the foundation everything else is built on.

So this month, when someone asks for just one more thing, remember: “No, but thank you” is a complete and acceptable sentence. Your energy is precious. Spend and save it wisely.

Here’s what your brain gains when you slow down:

When you prioritize rest and relaxation, you’re not being lazy — you’re allowing your brain to consolidate memories, process emotions, and literally clean out cellular waste that builds up during the day. Those quiet moments by the fire? They activate your parasympathetic nervous system, lowering cortisol and creating the conditions for healing and neuroplasticity. The boundaries you set protect your brain from decision fatigue, preserving your energy for what truly matters. Every cup of tea with a friend, every early night, every unhurried morning strengthens the neural pathways of resilience and joy.

Your brain thrives in rest. Your nervous system heals in stillness. And you deserve both.

What are you saying no to this season?

Happy Holidays!

With gratitude,

Christine

Your Wellness Navigator

JOIN ME on DECEMBER 3rd at 10am ET to design your Wellness Vision for 2026!

As we close out the year, let’s do something different—instead of rigid resolutions that fade by February, we’re creating a Wellness Vision that actually sticks.

This isn’t about what you should do. It’s about connecting with what genuinely lights you up and makes you feel alive.

I’m excited to invite you to my free monthly Brain Boost Sessions, a 30-minute ritual to help you enhance your brain function, improve energy, balance mood, and build healthy habits that last.

Here’s what you can expect each month:
✔️ A short centering meditation
✔️ Straightforward insights on brain health, aging, and vitality
✔️ Real science, not fluff
✔️ Actionable steps you can start using right away
✔️ A relaxed, supportive space, no pressure, no prep

📅 We meet on the first Wednesday of every month at 10:00 AM ET.
Each session is free, virtual, and designed to help you thrive from the inside out.

It’s recorded if you can’t attend live!

👉 Get on the list for the next session here: Brain Boost Sessions