Click Here to Download Summary Below

Webinar Date: November 4, 2026

Presenters: Richard “Rick” Peck, CFP®, CAP®, ChFC®, The Philanthropy Guy; Scott Coulter, CFP®, Ledyard Wealth Management

Hosted by: Tom Dickson, Financial Experts Network

Webinar Overview

Charitable giving can express a client’s values, strengthen family connections, and create a meaningful legacy. Yet advisors may begin with tax deductions or giving vehicles before understanding what the client hopes to accomplish. Rick Peck and Scott Coulter presented a values-first, three-stage framework: strategic visioning, giving strategy and execution, and multigenerational engagement. Their collaboration illustrates how a wealth advisor can remain the central relationship manager while engaging philanthropy specialists, attorneys, CPAs and nonprofits as needed.

The central message: lead with values before vehicles, integrate philanthropy into comprehensive planning, and evaluate both client experience and community impact.

Key Takeaways

• Start with discovery: ask about formative money experiences, core values, causes, geography and desired legacy before discussing charitable structures.

• Create a focus statement that identifies the client’s values, priority issues, communities and preferred giving horizon.

• Consider non-cash assets and giving vehicles in light of liquidity, taxes, charitable objectives and recipient acceptance policies.

• Invite spouses, adult children and grandchildren into conversations thoughtfully and with client consent.

• Keep the wealth advisor central while coordinating specialist advice and reviewing outcomes over time.

1. Why Philanthropy Belongs in Financial Planning

According to Giving USA 2026, U.S. charitable giving reached an estimated $617.20 billion in 2025, up 5.7% in current dollars and 3.0% after inflation. Individuals contributed $394.20 billion (64%); bequests contributed $62.19 billion (10%). Together, these sources represented approximately three-quarters of giving. [1]

Peck cited industry research associating philanthropic guidance with client satisfaction and advisory-firm growth, while explicitly cautioning that these associations do not prove causation. Coulter emphasized that legacy conversations can engage the next generation even when clients do not initially identify charitable giving as a primary goal.

2. Stage One: Values Discovery and Strategic Visioning

The presenters recommended beginning with questions such as: What shaped your relationship with money? Which values should your wealth express? What experiences motivate your giving? What would meaningful impact look like in five or ten years?

Peck demonstrated the use of motivational-values cards and Picture Your Legacy image cards. Clients select and narrow values, discuss the stories behind them, identify causes and geographic interests, and develop a personal or family focus statement. The statement can specify three core values, priority issues, communities served and whether giving will be immediate, multiyear, endowed or part of an estate plan. Coulter encouraged integrating these conversations into routine client discovery, not reserving them only for clients with explicit philanthropic intentions.

3. Stage Two: Match Assets and Vehicles to Donor Goals

After clarifying purpose, advisors can evaluate appreciated securities, closely held interests, real estate, retirement assets, life insurance, tangible property and other assets. An in-kind contribution of eligible appreciated property may offer tax advantages, but treatment depends on the asset, recipient, holding period, substantiation and other rules.

The advisor should coordinate gift acceptance, valuation, legal documents, tax projections and timing with the appropriate specialists. For retirement-account giving, a qualified charitable distribution generally requires a direct IRA payment to an eligible charity by an IRA owner age 70½ or older; applicable annual limits and recipient restrictions must be checked. [5]

4. Stage Three: Multigenerational Engagement

The presenters described involving adult children and grandchildren, with the original clients’ consent, in values discussions and modest shared grantmaking exercises. A family focus statement can express shared priorities while allowing individuals to retain different interests. Coulter noted that these discussions help heirs understand the purpose of inherited wealth rather than receiving assets without context.

Peck closed with the five Ts of philanthropy: time (volunteering), talent (professional skills), treasure (financial and non-cash gifts), ties (relationships and introductions), and testimony (advocacy and storytelling). These forms of contribution can make philanthropy relevant beyond financial gifts.

5. Real Client Examples Shared During the Webinar

• A couple in their late 50s clarified values and giving options, with plans to involve three adult children. They discussed potentially moving an existing $15 million DAF; the transfer was not completed.

• A woman in her early 70s explored reparative philanthropy, family involvement and possible qualified charitable distributions from retirement assets.

• A couple in their late 70s discussed charitable remainder trusts and then developed a family focus statement with three adult children; implementation remained prospective.

• A couple nearing retirement identified educational scholarships as a priority and considered whether retirement could increase their charitable capacity; no gift had yet been completed.

These anonymized cases illustrate reported planning conversations and potential outcomes, not independently verified investment or business results.

6. A Practical Advisor Collaboration Model

Peck suggested a 90-day implementation approach: identify suitable clients, hold values-discovery conversations, then coordinate vehicle analysis and next steps. The wealth advisor oversees the financial relationship; the philanthropy specialist facilitates discovery and giving design; attorneys and CPAs handle legal and tax considerations; and the client and family retain decision-making authority. Progress should be reviewed against both client goals and charitable outcomes.

Final Thoughts: Lead with Values Before Vehicles

Values-driven philanthropy is not simply a year-end tax exercise. It is a process of understanding what clients care about, choosing appropriate strategies, and inviting family participation when desired. The most actionable step for advisors is to make room for values and legacy questions during ordinary discovery meetings—before recommending a donor-advised fund, trust or other giving structure.

Fact-Checking and Additional Resources

External verification supports the Giving USA figures and the basic legal structures of DAFs, CRTs, CLTs and QCDs. The presenters’ client anecdotes, proprietary practice results and cited advisory-industry correlations are reported as webinar statements, not independently verified findings. Tax consequences depend on individual facts and current law.

[1] Giving USA 2026 / Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy — https://philanthropy.indianapolis.iu.edu/news-events/news/_news/2026/giving-usa-report-2026.html

[2] IRS: Donor-advised funds — https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/charitable-organizations/donor-advised-funds

[3] IRS: Charitable remainder trusts — https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/charitable-remainder-trusts

[4] IRS: Special types of charitable trusts — https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/abusive-trust-tax-evasion-schemes-special-types-of-trusts

[5] IRS: IRA distributions and qualified charitable distributions — https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/retirement-plans-faqs-regarding-iras-distributions-withdrawals

Educational summary only; not individualized tax, legal or investment advice.