In 2008, the U.S. House of Representatives adopted a resolution supporting the designation of National Estate Planning Awareness Week, observed each October. This year the week falls October 19 through 25. You may have seen the observance mentioned before, but chances are you have not sat down with the actual resolution. Its preamble outlines several reasons estate planning deserves its own week on the calendar, and the three worth noting:

• “Whereas careful estate planning can greatly assist Americans in preserving assets built over a lifetime for the benefit of family, heirs, or charities.”
• “Whereas estate planning involves many considerations, including safekeeping of important documents, documentation of assets, operation of law in the various States, preparation of legal instruments, insurance, availability of trust arrangements, charitable giving, inter vivos care of the benefactor, and other important factors.”
• “Whereas alternatives to disposition of assets after death, such as planned gift-giving, may accomplish a benefactor’s goal of providing for his or her family and favorite charities.”

What stands out is how is the intentional inclusion of charitable giving throughout the resolution. For attorneys, CPAs, and financial advisors, National Estate Planning Awareness Week is a good time to ask each client a question that can open an important dialogue sometimes overlooked in the estate planning process:

“Are there charitable causes you would like to include in your estate plan?” 

Just thirteen words, yet advisors may not address charitable giving as consistently or thoroughly as clients would like, according to the 2026 TPI Study of the Philanthropic Conversation, which surveyed high-net-worth clients and wealth advisors, trust and estate attorneys, accountants, and other tax professionals.

A few numbers from the study make the point:

• 80% of high-net-worth clients agreed that advisors have an obligation to engage them in conversations about charitable activity.
• 93% of clients who discussed philanthropy with advisors considered the advisor's role important.
• While 99% were satisfied overall, only 61% reported being very satisfied with charitable planning discussions.

The takeaway: there’s room to go deeper. Even clients who have never thought of themselves as philanthropists may welcome the opportunity to discuss and structure their charitable intentions in more detail, whether that means a charitable bequest to a favorite organization or a fund at the Community Foundation, or by naming a charity as the beneficiary of retirement assets. Raising the subject in more than a cursory way often open the door to a client’s values, plans for the next generation, and the legacy they hope to leave. Those conversations tend to deepen your understanding of what matters most to your clients.

So ask the thirteen-word question, “Are there charitable causes you would like to include in your estate plan?” Then don’t stop there. If the client answers “yes,” listen closely to what follows. A smart next step in the conversation is to suggest that you involve the Community Foundation of Anne Arundel County as a sounding board. Our staff can help you and your client review giving vehicles and approaches that align with the client’s intentions, while you continue to guide the overall legal, tax, and financial planning.

We want to be your first call whenever a client brings up charitable giving. Five of our favorite words to hear from tax and estate planning advisors are “Could you help us with …” We look forward to hearing from you!

Ways we can help

• Learn about gift planning options at cfaac.org/legacy-about-planned-giving
• Explore resources built for professional advisors at cfaac.org/plan/for-advisors/advisor-partner-with-us
• Browse the full list of funds open to charitable bequests at cfaac.org/fund-directory

Contact us
Thomas Perkins, Director of Gift Planning
thomas@cfaac.org | 410.280.1102