Building relationships also made financial sense. Keeping satisfied customers cost less than finding new ones. How I wish more organizations followed this principle — everyone would benefit! Thank you, Andrew, for another terrific post.
I actually like that Vanguard sends the QCD checks to me for forwarding, so I can include a cover memo indicating where to direct the donation, e.g., a specific fund, or in memory or honor of whom the donation is being given. AND I can scan the check and stub before forwarding it. Custodians who send a check directly to the organization (a) often provide very little space on a memo line for directing the donation or noting it's in memory or honor of someone, and (b) sometimes don't even clearly identify the donor.
the checks you send are supposed to be cashed by December 31 1. If your custodian (company holding your traditional IRA or other QCD-eligible account) has given you check-writing privileges, i.e., you are *writing the check yourself* and sending it to your QCD-eligible 501(c)(3) organization, then yes, the organization must receive and deposit it early enough so it clears your account by December 31. 2. If the *custodian issues the check* then regardless of whether the custodian sends the check (a) directly to the organization or (b) to you to forward it to the organization, the QCD date is considered to be the date that the check clears your account, not the later date that the recipient cashes the check. In that case, just submit the request enough before Dec 31 to make sure it clears your account in time. And keep in mind that the volume of requests to your custodian skyrockets as Dec 31 nears, so there may be delays in processing. You can request your QCD custodian to confirm the QCD date for your records.
How did it know your age group? Look no further than HD. You have mentioned your age from time to time here. Information we post in HD articles and comments is available to be found by non-HD searches such as Google, etc.
Grief hasn’t become smaller, I’ve simply made room for it. Andrew, this is one of the most astute and relatable sentences I've ever read. Thank you for your willingness to post your heartfelt writings to HumbleDollar.
I hope you'll be as pleased with the shredder as I have been with mine: When I retired and thus no longer had free access to a shredder at work, one of the best purchases I made as soon as I moved to my CCRC was an Aurora compact micro-cut shredder. Convenient, small, easy to use, and no way could someone piece together the shreds. With simplicity and security being my priority in retirement, this is one less thing to worry about.
not wanting to say no to people For much of my earlier life I, too, struggled. I finally realized I needed to find a simple sentence that felt natural to me. I searched online for suggestions and found one that felt comfortable, kind, and not curt. Like strengthening a muscle with practice, I have become comfortable with turning down requests, offering an alternative solution if I can. The true value of getting better at saying no is that now I can say yes to something wholeheartedly. Congrats, Dana, on completing year one!
Oh, good, I was wondering whether any other HD readers go digital with e-cards. I've used them for years. There are classy ones available by subscription and some with a free tier, e.g., Ojolie, Blue Mountain, Jacquie Lawson. Huge selection for any occasion, available any time day or night, to send on a scheduled day or immediately, plenty of room to write your message, and no postage cost. True, can't enclose ca$h or check. So just Venmo or Zelle.
Comments
Building relationships also made financial sense. Keeping satisfied customers cost less than finding new ones. How I wish more organizations followed this principle — everyone would benefit! Thank you, Andrew, for another terrific post.
Post: The Value Of Trust
Link to comment from October 14, 2026
I actually like that Vanguard sends the QCD checks to me for forwarding, so I can include a cover memo indicating where to direct the donation, e.g., a specific fund, or in memory or honor of whom the donation is being given. AND I can scan the check and stub before forwarding it. Custodians who send a check directly to the organization (a) often provide very little space on a memo line for directing the donation or noting it's in memory or honor of someone, and (b) sometimes don't even clearly identify the donor.
Post: Time to QCD
Link to comment from October 13, 2026
the checks you send are supposed to be cashed by December 31 1. If your custodian (company holding your traditional IRA or other QCD-eligible account) has given you check-writing privileges, i.e., you are *writing the check yourself* and sending it to your QCD-eligible 501(c)(3) organization, then yes, the organization must receive and deposit it early enough so it clears your account by December 31. 2. If the *custodian issues the check* then regardless of whether the custodian sends the check (a) directly to the organization or (b) to you to forward it to the organization, the QCD date is considered to be the date that the check clears your account, not the later date that the recipient cashes the check. In that case, just submit the request enough before Dec 31 to make sure it clears your account in time. And keep in mind that the volume of requests to your custodian skyrockets as Dec 31 nears, so there may be delays in processing. You can request your QCD custodian to confirm the QCD date for your records.
Post: Time to QCD
Link to comment from October 13, 2026
How did it know your age group? Look no further than HD. You have mentioned your age from time to time here. Information we post in HD articles and comments is available to be found by non-HD searches such as Google, etc.
Post: If you don’t think AI is powerful and scary, think again!
Link to comment from September 30, 2026
Grief hasn’t become smaller, I’ve simply made room for it. Andrew, this is one of the most astute and relatable sentences I've ever read. Thank you for your willingness to post your heartfelt writings to HumbleDollar.
Post: My Sister – A Reflection One Year Later
Link to comment from August 12, 2026
One CCRC resident has this sign on the door: Dogs have owners. Cats have staff.
Post: Too Good to be True
Link to comment from July 23, 2026
Ah, Corvette — as I used to hear, the car that passes everything except a gas station. 😉
Post: A Can of Worms
Link to comment from July 20, 2026
I hope you'll be as pleased with the shredder as I have been with mine: When I retired and thus no longer had free access to a shredder at work, one of the best purchases I made as soon as I moved to my CCRC was an Aurora compact micro-cut shredder. Convenient, small, easy to use, and no way could someone piece together the shreds. With simplicity and security being my priority in retirement, this is one less thing to worry about.
Post: Danger, Junk Mail
Link to comment from July 19, 2026
not wanting to say no to people For much of my earlier life I, too, struggled. I finally realized I needed to find a simple sentence that felt natural to me. I searched online for suggestions and found one that felt comfortable, kind, and not curt. Like strengthening a muscle with practice, I have become comfortable with turning down requests, offering an alternative solution if I can. The true value of getting better at saying no is that now I can say yes to something wholeheartedly. Congrats, Dana, on completing year one!
Post: Retirement, One Year On
Link to comment from July 3, 2026
Oh, good, I was wondering whether any other HD readers go digital with e-cards. I've used them for years. There are classy ones available by subscription and some with a free tier, e.g., Ojolie, Blue Mountain, Jacquie Lawson. Huge selection for any occasion, available any time day or night, to send on a scheduled day or immediately, plenty of room to write your message, and no postage cost. True, can't enclose ca$h or check. So just Venmo or Zelle.
Post: Exercising true frugality
Link to comment from July 1, 2026