Schwab Charitable Reports 25 Percent Rise in Grants in 2014

(Press release, Jan. 22, 2015) — Schwab Charitable™, one of the largest national donor-advised funds, reported $928 million in grants to charities on behalf of its donors in 2014, a 25 percent increase over 2013. Gifts went to more than 48,000 charitable organizations. Support increased substantially across all categories with the highest number of individual grants going to health and human services, religious causes, and education. Among the most widely supported charities in 2014 were Doctors Without Borders, Wounded Warrior Project, The Salvation Army, and local public radio and television stations.

"I am so grateful to our donors for their extraordinary generosity in 2014," says Kim Laughton, president of Schwab Charitable. "We continue to look for ways to encourage them to set aside more money for charity by making giving simple, tax-smart and flexible. Again this year, we helped donors and their financial advisors contribute long-term, appreciated investments and assets, which maximize tax benefits and increase the amount available for giving."

In 2014, 71 percent of contributions into Schwab Charitable donor-advised fund accounts were appreciated investments or assets, such as public company stock, real estate or private business interests. Donors who contribute appreciated assets that have been held for more than one year directly to public charities (including donor-advised funds) can generally claim the full fair market value as a charitable contribution and will not owe capital gains tax on the sale of the assets. This can result in donors having up to 20 percent more to give than if they sold the asset first and then gave the cash proceeds to charity. Schwab Charitable handles the liquidation of the assets, relieving the receiving charities of this administrative burden.

In 2014, Schwab Charitable launched convenient online tools and the ability to grant from an iPad, iPhone or Android device using the Schwab Mobile App to make it easier than ever for donors to support their favorite charities. Nonprofit organizations may also now accommodate gifts from Schwab Charitable directly from their websites by downloading the DAF Direct widget.

Donor-advised funds are generally appropriate for individuals who regularly give to charity. They allow investors to contribute cash and other assets to a charitable account to realize the greatest possible tax benefits and strategically support charities of their choice over time.