Philanthropy, Well Advised.
Guidance on donating complex assets — art, real estate, appreciated stock, collectibles — so the gift is structured for the best tax outcome and documented to survive IRS scrutiny.
Book a consultationWhat is charitable asset advisory?
Writing a $10,000 check to a charity is simple. Donating a painting, a building, a block of appreciated stock, or a rare piece with a story behind it — say, a historic writing desk — is not. There are serious tax implications for both.
Charitable asset advisory is the work of getting those non-cash gifts right: valuing the asset properly, structuring the donation for the biggest allowable deduction, and building the paper trail the IRS requires. Done well, the donor gives more and keeps more. Done carelessly, the deduction can be reduced — or denied entirely.
Why it matters
The IRS takes non-cash valuation seriously. Art donations claimed at $50,000 or more can be referred to its Art Appraisal Services and reviewed by a standing panel of outside art experts — people whose entire job is to second-guess the number on your return. That’s the level of scrutiny these gifts can draw. A few of the places donors get tripped up:
Qualified appraisals
Non-cash gifts over $5,000 generally need a qualified appraisal — and Form 8283 filed with the return. Miss it and the deduction is at risk.
Fair value vs. basis
Whether you deduct full fair market value or just your cost basis depends on the asset and how the charity uses it — the “related use” rule for art and tangible property.
AGI limits
Deductions for appreciated property are capped as a share of income, with different tiers by asset type and charity. Excess can carry forward — if it’s tracked.
Give the asset, not the cash
Donating appreciated property directly — rather than selling first — can avoid capital gains tax entirely. The order of operations matters.
The rules just changed. I’ve written on it.
Recent legislation reshaped how charitable contributions are treated — and I published an analysis of what it means for donors. When the landscape shifts, you want an advisor who’s already been reading the fine print.
Read the analysisHow I help
These gifts take a team. My job is to run the play so every piece fits — and holds up.
Structure the gift
Map the donation for the best allowable deduction before anything is signed.
Coordinate the appraiser
Bring in a qualified appraiser and make sure their work meets IRS standards.
Handle substantiation
Form 8283, acknowledgment letters, and the documentation that backs it all up.
Keep it defensible
Build the file so that if the IRS ever asks, the answer is already on paper.
Who this is for
Give generously. Document carefully.
Let’s make sure the gift does everything it can — for the cause and for you.
Book a consultation