Year-end charitable giving tips for 2026 tax planning

Thoughtful year-end giving does not have to be complicated. The North Carolina Community Foundation can help you sort through the noise, coordinate with your tax and financial advisors, and focus on the decisions that really matter.

Five actions for effective year-end giving

1. Don’t wait until the last week of December. The simplest year-end tip is also one of the most important: Start now. Stock gifts take time to transfer. Gifts of real estate, closely held business interests and other non-cash assets may require appraisals, due diligence and coordination among multiple advisors. Even a relatively straightforward charitable plan can become more difficult in December. To ensure your charitable gifts qualify for 2026 tax deductions, initiate them as soon as possible and follow our key deadlines.

2. Think about what you want your giving to accomplish. Do you want to continue supporting the organizations you give to every year or respond to an emerging community need? Will you involve your children or grandchildren in giving, or set aside resources now for charitable decisions you’ll make later? NCCF can help you begin your giving with the end in mind. We can share information on the organizations and causes you care about, help you identify new organizations and share trends about a community’s needs.

3. Take another look at the 2026 tax rules. This year brought important changes to the federal tax rules for charitable giving. The timing and structure of your giving may deserve another look. The NCCF team can work with your tax advisor to help you explore approaches that fit both your charitable plans and your tax situation.

4. If you are 70½ or older, don’t overlook your IRA. A qualified charitable distribution, or QCD, can be one of the most useful charitable planning tools available to eligible IRA owners. In 2026, eligible IRA owners age 70½ and older may direct up to $111,000 from an IRA. A QCD is excluded from taxable income and, for donors who are subject to required minimum distributions, can count toward satisfying the RMD. While QCDs may not be made to donor advised funds, NCCF offers several other fund types that can receive QCDs.

5. Pay attention to what you give, not just how much. Writing a check or using a credit card may be convenient but that may not be the most tax-efficient asset to give. If you own publicly traded stock or other assets that have appreciated significantly, donating them directly to your fund at NCCF may help you to avoid the capital gains tax that could apply if you sold the asset first. You may also qualify for a charitable deduction based on their fair market value, subject to applicable rules and limitations. NCCF can accept other non-cash assets, such as closely held business interests or real estate. Before selling a highly appreciated asset, talk with your advisors and NCCF.

Now is the time to take stock of what you’ve already given this year, what you still hope to accomplish and which assets might make the most sense to use. Bring the NCCF team into the conversation with your CPA, financial advisor or estate planning attorney. We can help coordinate the charitable pieces of your plan and keep the focus where it belongs: turning your generosity into lasting impact.