Gratefulness and Giving

In my day-to-day life, most of the people I interact with live fairly comfortable lives. I’m in northern San Diego County, where many middle- to upper-income families live. Working in wealth management also means I’m regularly surrounded by people with meaningful financial resources. But last week I was reminded that, even in a community like ours, many families are struggling.

Our local school district runs a program called the Giving Tree to support families in need during the holiday season. We’ve participated before, and when I reached out this year, the response was different, and it struck me:

“We have many families that are in so much need (sincere food insecurity, etc.) they aren’t asking for toys or gifts—they’re only asking for gift cards to buy the real basics (food, personal hygiene products, laundry soap, etc.).”

I felt sadness for the families facing those realities, but also deep gratitude that I’m not currently feeling that level of financial pressure. It took me back to when I launched my financial planning practice almost ten years ago—the most stressful financial period of my life, though it still doesn’t totally equate. Yet, that level of stress is a daily reality for millions of Americans, and for people around the world.

Moments like this remind me how important it is to stay compassionate and to give back whenever we can. What that looks like will be different for each of us, depending on our interests, values, and the communities we’re part of. But the opportunities are all around us. Giving can make a meaningful difference in someone else’s life—and it also shifts our own perspective. We live in a world obsessed with trading up to “bigger and better,” yet gratitude often creates more joy than getting the next thing. My years as a financial planner have taught me that the happiest people aren’t the ones with the most money—they’re the ones most content with what they already have.

And if you’re looking for ways to be a blessing to those around you, here are a few simple strategies to help maximize both your impact and the financial benefits of your charitable giving:

• Give appreciated securities instead of cash
  Donating stocks, ETFs, or mutual funds you’ve held for over a year lets you avoid capital gains tax while still deducting the full market value.

• Use a donor-advised fund (DAF)
  A DAF allows you to take an immediate tax deduction and distribute gifts to charities over time—helpful in high-income years or when you want to plan giving more intentionally.

• Bundle or “bunch” your charitable gifts
  If you’re close to the standard deduction threshold, combining two or more years of giving into one year may help you itemize and receive a larger tax benefit.

• Consider qualified charitable distributions (QCDs)
  If you’re age 70½ or older, donating directly from an IRA can satisfy required minimum distributions (RMDs) without increasing your taxable income.

• Use employer matching programs
  Many companies match employee donations, effectively doubling your impact at no extra cost.

• Keep good records
  Save receipts, acknowledgement letters, and statements, especially for gifts of property or larger donations that require additional documentation.

As we move into the holiday season, I hope you feel a true sense of gratitude and the joy that comes with it.

If you have questions about your charitable giving strategy, feel free to reach out.