Professional Advisors

For 100 years, The Trust has helped financial advisors, attorneys, and tax professionals find effective and enduring charitable solutions for their clients.

Client Scenarios

Are your clients planning their estates or taxes? Selling a business? Managing an inheritance? Updating their will? The Trust has charitable solutions for nearly every client.

Estate planning

Considering a charitable remainder trust

Considering a charitable lead trust

Considering a gift of stock

Selling a business

Managing inheritance

Considering a private foundation

Using unneeded life insurance

Estate planning

A community foundation, such as The Trust, is a perfect place to discuss planned giving. An outright bequest—whether by will or revocable trust—to The Trust is the simplest and most direct way for your client to establish a fund.

If a fund will be restricted in purpose, please review the final language with us to ensure we can carry out your client’s wishes. We are happy to provide sample language that can be included in a will.

Your client can also create a charitable remainder or lead trust through their estates.

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Considering a charitable remainder trust

A charitable remainder trust (CRT) can be set up as an annuity trust or a unitrust with us, offering significant tax benefits. Because the assets of a CRT are exempt from tax on the income earned by the trust, the proceeds are reinvested by the trustee and grow on a tax-free or tax-deferred basis.

The Trust is an ideal remainderman of a CRT. Donors can rely on our expertise in philanthropic administration and grantmaking as well as investment management.

Considering a charitable lead trust

A charitable lead trust (CLT) generally is used to transfer assets to the next generation with reduced tax or possibly no tax, while also providing for charity.

The CLT pays annual distributions to charity, either as an annuity or unitrust payment, for a period of time, then distributes the remainder to non-charitable beneficiaries selected by the donor (typically, your client’s children). It also offers your client the ability to participate in grantmaking.

The Trust is an ideal charitable beneficiary of a CLT’s annual distribution.

Considering a gift of stock

Gifts of appreciated securities offer important tax advantages. As long as these securities are held longer than 12 months (including mutual funds), the full fair market value is deductible as a charitable contribution (up to 30 percent of your client’s adjusted gross income for gifts to a public charity) without tax on the built-up capital gains.

Selling a business

The donation of appreciated business shares and other assets to The Trust can provide income tax deductions that minimize capital gains while providing the opportunity to enjoy philanthropic giving.

Managing inheritance

We can help your client navigate the challenges that come with managing their inheritance by offering charitable solutions that allow them to give back to their community.

Considering a private foundation

The Trust offers the advantages of a private foundation with far less expense and hassle. Administrative costs are lower, paperwork is a breeze, and donors can take advantage of the grantmaking experts, investment staff, and other resources of a large foundation.

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Using unneeded life insurance

For many charitable clients, life insurance offers the possibility of making a meaningful gift. Policies that are no longer needed can make a significant impact on regional causes when given to The Trust.

Your client can transfer ownership of the policy and deduct the fair market value. If the policy is not fully paid up, your client will need to make additional contributions to enable charity to pay the premiums.

The Trust has always been a trusted partner that I feel confident recommending to my clients.

Magdalen Gaynor, private practice attorney; former chair of the NYS Bar Association Trusts & Estates Law Section

I've had clients who just wanted advice on smart nonprofits, and The Trust impressed them with good advice. Who knows that part of New York better than The Trust?

Jay D. Waxenberg, partner, Proskauer Rose LLP

The Trust’s oversight ensures continuity. That is a major reason clients ultimately decide on The Trust.

P. Gregory Hess, senior counsel and former partner at Davidson, Dawson & Clark LLP

I found a top-notch organization that could assist my clients with charitable giving, even with finding the right nonprofits.

Patricia Galteri, managing attorney of Meyer, Suozzi, English, & Klein, P.C.

I have found the people at The Trust to be informed, involved, and welcoming. They don't try to get in the way of a client's charitable goals; they embrace each client's ideas so the goals can be implemented.

Kathy N. Rosenthal, partner, Rosenthal & Markowitz LLP

Highlights from our recent event for professional advisors

Find out why professional advisors refer their clients to us time and again.

You control the client relationship.

We can extend the range of services you offer.

We’re flexible.

Your client can create a fund with a wide variety of assets on their own timeline and choose the investment vehicles that meet their charitable objectives.

We help your clients build philanthropic legacies.

We help donors create powerful, enduring gifts in their names that honor their intent while adapting to contemporary challenges.

It’s tax efficient.

Your client receives the maximum income tax deduction allowed by law for charitable contributions, greater than the deduction to a private foundation for certain gifts.