Philanthropic Advising

Give Back with Purpose

Giving to charitable organizations and causes is a highly personal decision and unique to every individual. No matter your “why,” we understand that many questions can arise when determining the right approach to charitable contributions.

At SJS Investment Services, giving back is one of our core values, and we’re proud to help clients navigate meaningful philanthropic opportunities. We help clients determine and implement a giving plan while keeping tax efficiency in mind. Whether you want to leave a lasting legacy through your estate or seek to directly donate to specific nonprofits over time, we can help to seamlessly incorporate philanthropy into your financial planning.

Common Questions

  • How can I best give back to the causes I care about?

  • What tax considerations should I keep in mind when making charitable donations?

  • How can I get the next generation of my family involved in my philanthropic efforts?

  • When should I begin thinking about legacy giving?

  • How can I donate my investments to a charitable cause?

  • How can my family start a foundation?

  • Is a donor-advised fund the right fit for me?

  • How does a charitable trust work?

How We Help

  • Our goal is to help focus and streamline your giving efforts and create a strategic charitable giving plan so you can contribute to causes in a way that you feel good about.

  • Our wealth management team takes a collaborative approach to philanthropic advising, working with other professionals like accountants and estate planning attorneys to best support your giving efforts.

    Our process begins with first understanding what charitable causes most align with your own personal set of values and goals. Once a giving plan is in place, we will regularly revisit it to ensure the charitable giving strategy continues to be the right fit over time.

  • The financial advisors at SJS can walk you through these options as well as additional opportunities including:

    • Philanthropy guidance – helping you find organizations that fit your giving goals

    • Legacy planning

    • Tax-efficient gifting strategies

    • Donating appreciated investments

    • Setting up a donor-advised fund (DAF)

    • Qualified charitable distributions (QCDs) through traditional IRAs

    • Listing a charity as a beneficiary on an investment account

    • Listing bequests through a will

    • Charitable lead trust or charitable remainder trust

    • Educating family members on giving strategies

    • Assist with foundations

    Once we design a plan for giving, we will work with you to regularly evaluate the impact that your contributions are making.

  • We bring expertise, guidance, and solutions to help nonprofits, endowments, and foundations manage a range of responsibilities in addition to financial planning:

    • Board and donor education

    • Fundraising consultation

    • Effectively communicating strategies to donors and stakeholders

    • Legacy planning to support multigenerational giving to sustain long-term support

    • Creation of and adherence to socially responsible investing (SRI) guidelines

    We strive to ensure that you have the resources and support needed to serve the people and causes at the heart of your mission for generations to come.

    If your nonprofit or foundation is just getting started, we can connect you with local resources for specialized consultation on creating philanthropic values, mission, and vision, as well as communications and strategic planning.

  • If your family or organization seeks additional support when taking your impact a step further, SJS can support you with consultation, mentorship, and coaching.

We serve as a trusted advisor to help you give back to the causes that matter most to you.

Schedule a Discovery Meeting

Contact us to schedule your complimentary discovery meeting and discuss how we can help support your philanthropic goals.

Call (800) 434-4406, fill out the form below or visit our Contact page for more information.