Charitable Giving

How to Use a Donor-Advised Fund with a Financial Advisor

February 19, 2020 by Hans Blake, CFA, CPA

Reading Time: 2 minutes

On today’s Intelligent Money Minute, we’ll interview John Putnam on how to use a donor-advised fund (DAF) with a financial advisor. John gives us three insightful reasons to seek your financial advisor concerning your DAF. First, your financial advisor can help you explore the DAF space. It is helpful to ask your financial advisor if the DAF fits with your overall plan. Second, you may want to ask your financial advisor about investment options concerning your DAF. John notes that, as always, investment is a risk. However, there is a potential to grow your investment overtime. Third, discussing your DAF with your financial advisor could help with record-keeping from a tax standpoint. Annually, tax receipts from multiple charities could be simplified into one receipt from a DAF sponsor. Noted is the possibility of a donor approaching their DAF aggressively, desiring a moderate approach to their outside assets.

At Intelligent Investing, we can help you create a donor advised fund and even manage the assets within the donor advised fund differently than your retirement funds…perhaps dialing up the donor advised fund’s risk up or down. If you are interested in having a 15 minute complimentary call to discuss this or retirement planning, click here.

More From John

We’ll be interviewing John Putnam on future podcasts on creative ways to give charitably, how to use a donor-advised fund, and charitable giving with Young Children, so be sure to subscribe.

John Putnam Bio

John is an author, speaker, Kingdom entrepreneur and non-profit leader of NCF Carolinas. He grew up on a cattle farm in Cherryville, NC (that’s ‘Churvul’ for you locals ☺), and attended college at N.C. State. Above all, John is married to his wife Anne and the father of three children.

John led a thriving financial services practice for over 20 years. Following his passion for stewardship, he launched a Charlotte, NC affiliate of National Christian Foundation. On January 1, 2018, the office merged with NCF Raleigh to become NCF Carolinas. To His glory alone, God has used the NCF Carolinas team to help mobilize hundreds of millions of dollars for Kingdom impact. John’s professional background is as a former Certified Financial Planner, a trained Life Planner through The Paterson Center and a graduate of Charlotte Leadership Forum. He has worked alongside the Halftime organization, a two-time graduate of The Masters Program and a past Strategic Coach participant. He enjoys sharing through media, workshops and his website at JohnPutnam.com.

What is a Donor-Advised Fund?

January 8, 2020 by Hans Blake, CFA, CPA

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Reading Time: 2 minutes

On today’s Intelligent Money Minute, we’ll interview John Putnam on what is a donor-advised fund. John begins by giving us a simple definition. A donor-advised fund is a low-cost flexible account for charitable giving. Due to some of the similarities, you can think of a donor-advised fund as a “charitable checking account.” Rather than giving directly or creating a private foundation, a donor can choose to open a donor-advised fund instead. The 501(c)(3) public charity is the holder of the account instead of a bank. Unlike a checking account, however, the donor makes “irrevocable gifts” than cannot be retracted. John recommends a donor-advised fund for a donor giving to a greater number of charities. A note-worthy advantage of a donor-advised fund is the ability of the donor to remain anonymous. A donor-advised fund is a wonderful opportunity for the donor seeking to keep things simple.

At Intelligent Investing, we can help you know whether a donor advised fund makes sense, and can help you with creating one. If you are interested in having a 15 minute complimentary call to discuss this or other financial topics, click here.

More From John

We’ll be interviewing John Putnam on future podcasts on creative ways to give charitably, how to use a donor-advised fund, and charitable giving with Young Children, so be sure to subscribe.

John Putnam Bio

How to Integrate Charitable Giving

December 11, 2019 by Hans Blake, CFA, CPA

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Reading Time: 2 minutes

On today’s Intelligent Money Minute, we’ll interview John Putnam on how to integrate charitable giving. John discusses ideas on how to encourage charitable giving within your family. First, John states that communication is key for families deciding on how to give. He encourages families to talk about their passions and concerns. Specifically, he encourages family members to talk among themselves. For example, a husband and wife or mom and dad communicating about charitable giving is a great start. These conversations can be the light to shine on a passion or a concern another family member may find important. Second, John discusses charitable projects. Giving an example, he suggests a group effort from individual family members. Each family member may contribute to what he or she has discovered about an organization.

We’d love to help your family explore different charitable options. we’ve included resources and a link to the National Christian Foundation which you can check out by going here.

More From John

We’ll be interviewing John Putnam on future podcasts on creative ways to give charitably, how to use a donor-advised fund, and charitable giving with Young Children, so be sure to subscribe.

John Putnam Bio

What the National Christian Foundation Can Do for Families?

October 30, 2019 by Hans Blake, CFA, CPA

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Reading Time: 2 minutes

On today’s Intelligent Money Minute, we’ll interview John Putnam on what NCF can do for families. John states initially that NCF can help families create a giving plan. NCF helps families think about their giving legacy, along with their passions and impact. One way NCF guides families is to show them how to engage all of their resources. Ultimately, the desire is for families to experience more joy. More specifically, John states that NCF will first help the family simplify their giving with a donor-advised fund. Families are advised with strategic giving using complex asset, i.e. land, real estate, etc. NCF also desires to include the family’s advisors. Finally, bringing family around generosity is encouraged. You can find a link to more resources from NCF here.

We’d love to help your family explore different charitable options. we’ve included resources and a link to the National Christian Foundation which you can check out by going here.

More From John

We’ll be interviewing John Putnam on future podcasts on creative ways to give charitably, how to use a donor-advised fund, and charitable giving with Young Children, so be sure to subscribe.

John Putnam Bio

An Overview of the National Christian Foundation

September 25, 2019 by Hans Blake, CFA, CPA

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Reading Time: 2 minutes

On today’s Intelligent Money Minute, we’ll interview John Putnam on an overview of the National Christian Foundation (NCF). John Putnam is the president of the National Christian Foundation Carolinas. Beginning today’s episode, John gives the background of NCF. Larry Burkett, Ron Blue, and Terry Parker found NCF in 1982. Their goal was, and still is, to assist families and encourage them to have an impact with what they have. NCF comes alongside families, their advisors, and the organizations they love. Using innovative and creative ways, NCF helps donors give more wisely to these organizations. The founder’s initial desire was for one billion dollars of giving to flow through their doors. Today, however, over ten billion dollars have been granted by NCF and families locally and around the world.

The National Christian Foundation (NCF) is a U.S. non-profit organization that helps donors give more wisely and tax-efficiently to support their favorite charitable causes. In 2018, NCF ranked as the 8th largest non-profit organization in the U.S. At Intelligent Investing, we strive to align your charitable gifts with your strategic, philanthropic and financial goals. Whether you need to develop gift-giving strategies, create a foundation or endowment, or receive overall philanthropic guidance, we deliver the right level of expertise with a focus on maximizing your tax efficiencies and protecting your wealth while you generously share it with those you love.

More From John

We’ll be interviewing John Putnam on future podcasts on creative ways to give charitably, how to use a donor-advised fund, and charitable giving with young children, so be sure to subscribe.

John Putnam Bio

March 1, 2019- FFN@N (Charitable Giving in Retirement)

February 18, 2019 by Hans Blake, CFA, CPA

Topic

On March 1st, Brandon Davis, the Executive Operations Director for NCF Carolinas, an affiliate of the National Christian Foundation presented at the Intelligent Investing First Friday Networking at Noon event. Brandon discussed charitable giving as part of a financial plan, and explained the function of donor-advised funds. He also spoke on complex giving strategies using non-cash assets like a business and real estate. Here are some photos from the event.

Brandon Davis Bio

Brandon Davis, a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER TM professional, serves as the Executive Operations Director for NCF Carolinas, an affiliate of the National Christian Foundation. NCF is the 8th largest U.S. charity in contributions and is the 3rd largest provider of Donor Advised Funds. They have received over $12 billion in gifts and completed $11 billion in grants to more than 55,000 charities.

Brandon’s professional background includes 20 years of charitable giving, finance, insurance and wealth management experience. Prior to joining NCF, Brandon served as a wealth advisor providing comprehensive financial planning services and as an insurance specialist collaborating with affluent families and their professional advisors to structure, implement and administer comprehensive life insurance plans. He began his career in banking as a corporate financial analyst and institutional investor management associate.

Originally from Hickory, North Carolina, Brandon graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. He was the Past President of the Financial Planning Association of Charlotte and is a member of the Charlotte Estate Planning Council as well as Kingdom Advisors. He is an active member of Uptown Church where he also serves as a Finance Deacon. Brandon and his wife Teresa were married in 2003 and have two children.

August 3, 2018- FFN@N (Creative Ways to Charitably Give)

June 27, 2018 by Hans Blake, CFA, CPA

Topic

August’s First Friday Networking at Noon event covered the topic of creative ways to charitably give. Bobby McDonald from the South Carolina Christian Foundation spoke about Donor Advised Funds (DAFs), pooling them into a foundation, and ways to creatively give throughout your lifetime. He talked about the concept of “proactively giving” and how we should think about giving first, before we consider selling a piece of property or business.

Materials

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Bobby McDonald Bio

Robert G. “Bobby” McDonald, President of South Carolina Christian Foundation, is an Upstate native with experience and expertise in non-profit organizations and charitable giving. Growing up on the campus of Connie Maxwell Children’s Home in Greenwood, SC, he saw first-hand the incredible need for ministry organizations and social agencies in the community. In his career, Bobby served as Assistant to the President at Erskine College and Theological Seminary and Vice President of Palmetto Family Council, a public policy organization affiliated with Focus on the Family. In both of these roles, He led fundraising campaigns, built planned giving departments and significantly increased the giving to these entities.

In 2010, Bobby began his work at South Carolina Christian Foundation, a state-wide, community-based public foundation providing charitable financial services to Christian philanthropists. Through SCCF, Bobby assists generous individuals and families in accomplishing their giving goals while enhancing heir ability to give more to the causes they care about most. He also works closely with local Christian non-profits to raise awareness of their efforts and needs as they serve the larger community. In the past decade, SCCF has handled over $30 million in gifts and grants benefiting hundreds of charities locally, regionally, nationally, and around the world.

Bobby received his undergraduate degree from Erskine College and a Masters Degree from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He and his wife, Marlo, live with their four children in Simpsonville, SC where they are active members of Grace Church.