Helping clients prepare for year-end, 2023

As you help your clients close out 2023, there is opportunity to assess their generosity goals. By partnering with us, we can help ensure your clients are making the most of what they have been given and realize potential tax efficiencies. If your clients are considering a year-end charitable gift, be sure it is received on time. We’ve updated our year-end giving deadlines to help you better plan with your clients.

Please note deadlines are impacted by the last day of 2023 falling on a Sunday. Most of our suggested deadlines come prior to Sunday, December 31 with the assumption post offices and financial institutions will be closed.

Cash/Checks: Since most USPS offices will be closed on Sunday, December 31, gifts must be postmarked on or before Saturday, December 30. Thrivent Charitable encourages checks to be sent via the United States Postal Services (USPS) to ensure the gift is recognized in 2023. Please note the IRS does not permit the 2023 postmark from an alternate private delivery service (e.g., UPS or FedEx). Checks sent otherwise will be dated based on the date received. Visit our website to make a cash gift and for information on mailing your check.

Appreciated securities: Giving long-term appreciated securities to a donor-advised fund has several benefits, including possible capital gain tax savings, potentially greater tax deduction and―most important―greHelater support to charities. Gifts of securities must be initiated by Friday, December 8 to ensure arrival in Thrivent Charitable’s brokerage account before year-end. While most stocks can be transferred within a week, certain stocks can take 2-6 additional weeks (e.g., Computershare, EQ Shareowner Services). Please contact Thrivent Brokerage (800-847-4836 - Option 4: brokerage) to initiate the transfer, then contact Thrivent Charitable (800-365-4172) with transfer details to ensure it is anticipated and directed to the correct charitable fund.

Real Estate: Real estate and complex asset gifts must be completed by Friday, December 29. Please contact Thrivent Charitable (800-365-4172) no later than Friday, December 1 to begin the due diligence process. Real estate and complex asset gifts for 2023 will be executed on a best-efforts basis. You can refer to our Real Estate Questionnaire (PDF | E-form) to help get you started.

Bundling Gifts: Since enactment of the SECURE Act 1.0 on January 1, 2020, it may be more difficult for clients to meet the requirements to receive tax benefits from their yearly donations. For tax year 2023, the standard deduction has been raised to $27,700 for jointly filing households and $13,850 for individuals. You can help your clients work around this challenge by bundling two or three years of donations into a donor-advised fund. This amount, plus other deductions, could help your clients exceed the standard deduction threshold for 2023, and allow them to continue giving to the causes they cherish for years to come. This is also a great technique to use when planning out generosity goals for future years.

Roth conversion strategies: By making a charitable gift at the time of a Roth IRA conversion, your clients may offset tax liabilities associated with the conversion. By making a gift to a donor-advised fund, your clients can realize the potential tax savings in 2023 and give to the causes they cherish at a time of their choosing.

We are here to partner with you as you help your clients execute on current generosity goals and create holistic charitable plans into the future. Our team of gift planners has deep charitable expertise to expand your clients' options and help meet their generosity goals. Feel free to contact us at thriventcharitable@thrivent.com or 800-365-4172.