Charity

Donating to charity used to be simple. Not anymore. I am reaching out for opinions on the most efficient way to donate in 2026. I have identified several ways to donate but can’t decide on the best approach.
The most direct way is to write a check which would be deductible; $2,000 for a married couple or $1,000 for a single taxpayer who takes the standard deduction. Itemizers can deduct up to 35% of AGI (I think).

About 10 years ago, my financial advisor suggested I open a Donor-Advised Fund (DAF). I had never heard of one—and assumed it was something only the very wealthy used. I was wrong.
In essence, a DAF allows you to give to charities more effectively by taking advantage of federal tax deductions—assuming you itemize rather than take the standard deduction.
A DAF is simple to operate. You can contribute cash or, in my case, appreciated securities, take the deduction in the year of the contribution (if you itemize),

I read this Morningstar article this morning. I thought I had posted it then. Although is not pertinent to me I know it is to other HD readers.
Until now, however, QCDs came with a thorny reporting headache. They were reported on IRS Form 1099-R as a regular distribution from an IRA, with no indication that the amount was a QCD.
Effective 2025, an IRA custodian may enter Code Y in Box 7 of Form 1099-R to show that the amount represents a QCD.

As HD regulars know, Jonathan sought to have a meaningful legacy in the form of helping young people, especially those who otherwise might not have the opportunity, get started early with saving and investing. Thus, with the help of some of his many friends in the investing community, the Jonathan Clements Getting Going on Savings Initiative was born.
Jonathan spoke about the Initiative here and here. There’s also a thread about it on the Bogleheads forum. I wanted to make a QCD (Qualified Charitable Distribution) donation to Jonathan’s Initiative and so thought I’d outline the process I went through in the hope it might help others who are considering a QCD (or other type) donation.

Editor’s note: Jonathan Clements (1963–2025), HumbleDollar’s founder and a former Wall Street Journal personal-finance columnist, died on Sept. 21, 2025. This piece honors his plain-English approach to money and giving.
Jonathan Clements taught us that money is a means to a life that’s human, hopeful, and helpful. One of the best ways to live it out is to give with intention and make an impact. In that spirit—and in this season of thanks—here are 10 ways to support the charitable causes you love without writing a check.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for giving to charity, but I would never give 10% of gross income plus we are very selective about the charities we give to. We look to those that can best directly serve people. St Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital is our priority.
In my opinion, tithing 10% can create undue pressure and financial hardship and a skewing of priorities. 
To me the first priority is family and their security and eventually helping children and grandchildren when appropriate.

Hello, Humble Dollar community!!  This is my first post, please excuse me in advance if not as articulate as so many of you who contribute to this site.
I am wondering if any of you have recommendations or thoughts on simple DAF platforms for charitable contributions
I have some highly appreciated stock (APPL at ~$250/share with a very low basis) and use this for most of my larger charitable gifts.  I am a devoted Vanguard customer and make direct donations thru Vanguard but tend to find the process a bit tedious –

I’ve always had a bit of a dark side, one I never really tried to control and certainly didn’t think of as a problem. This was especially true when I ran my own business. Through sheer effort and hard work, that business threw off a lot of free cash flow. With all that cash sloshing around, I christened my peculiar habit: Random Spontaneous Generosity (RSG).
RSG would manifest in unpredictable ways, at random times. For instance,

Recently, on the Saving and Gifting thread, I listed the organizations I support: “a reading service for the blind, the local hospice, Planned Parenthood, public radio and TV, and the [retirement] community’s benevolent fund”, to which I should have added Royal Oak, the US affiliate of the National Trust. I added that “having grown up in what some Americans no doubt consider a Socialist country [UK], I consider charity to be the job of the government,

I’m curious how folks have balanced considerations of financial security and charitable giving, particularly (but not only) those who share the Christian faith.
I’m in my early 40s. I have a wife (like me, a public employee) and two young children, and I have the opportunity to take a higher-paying job within my organization in the coming months.  I don’t anticipate increasing my spending with increasing income, at least not to any substantial degree. Rather, I’d either increase my savings,

Another great link from Mike Piper’s Oblivious Investor newsletter is this interview on the Bogleheads Podcast:
https://bogleheads.podbean.com/e/episode-82-jonathan-clements-jason-zweig-and-christine-benz-are-special-guests-on-this-podcast-host-rick-ferri/

Want to help a young person get started on a lifetime of investing? Hear all about the Jonathan Clements Getting Going on Savings Initiative on this podcast hosted by Rick Ferri. My fellow guests on the podcast were Morningstar’s Christine Benz and The Wall Street Journal’s Jason Zweig. Please give a listen—and please consider donating. One way to donate: Buy copies of  The Best of Jonathan Clements, a collection of my Wall Street Journal columns.

Today’s WSJ has a Jason Zweig article about the the Jonathan Clements Initiative.
This will be paywalled. https://www.wsj.com/finance/investing/the-wsjs-jonathan-clements-wants-to-leave-a-living-legacy-19f1738d
Intrepid readers can also find a link or two about how to donate if you are not buying the excellent new book.

I was just reading through the responses to a Forum post on charitable giving. And, as often happens to me, my brain has these thoughts that seek to escape. This morning, they are all about the futility of using/expecting our giving to charity to make things fundamentally better. I usually make our annual gifts to food banks, figuring that this is a safer way to avoid charity frauds and expense issues. But, I know, that even if we gave all of our funds to the food banks,