In the midst of tax season or immediately after, a conversation with a professional adviser can mean keeping more of what you earn this year while supporting more of the causes you care about. With the right advisers, planning can pay off. Here are the most common questions we get at the Community Foundation of Anne Arundel County (CFAAC) and answers to help you navigate your giving and tax strategies:

I just finished my taxes for 2025, why would I want to think about 2026 taxes?

Even as you are working through taxes or finishing them up for 2025, planning for 2026 matters. Why? Working with a professional adviser on your giving strategy can help you make 2026 taxes a little easier and beneficial to you. Even if you currently give generously, you may be missing opportunities to give strategically.

How can my philanthropic goals align with tax benefits?

Working with your professional adviser and the Community Foundation can help you achieve philanthropic goals. By designing a plan based on your values and goals, they can often help you to give back in a sustainable and tax-efficient way. For example, professional advisers may recommend establishing a Donor Advised Fund (DAF). You can make contributions to a DAF to receive an immediate tax deduction and distribute funds to charities on your schedule. This strategy is helpful, especially when you have a liquidity event where you receive a significant financial gain that may lead to an increased tax burden.

They may recommend a tax strategy called donation bunching, which consolidates your donations for two or more years into a single year to meet the minimum required for tax deductions. Or they may suggest donating assets such as appreciated stock to help you avoid capital gains taxes. In addition, when you donate stock, your dollar goes further than if you were to sell the stock and donate cash. Lastly, if you are 70-1/2 or older, an adviser may recommend making a qualified charitable distribution from your IRA to your chosen charity to reduce your taxable income and fulfill your required minimum distribution once you are 73. It is also worth noting that if you donate to an endowed fund managed by a Maryland-based community foundation before June 30, you may qualify for a 25% tax credit.

What are some other benefits beyond tax savings?

Benefits can include having an increased charitable impact by planning in advance as well as a clearer long-term plan or vision. Overall, it can help reduce your stress during next year’s tax season.

Where do I start looking for a professional adviser if I don’t have one? And what skills should I look for?

Many of us have tax planners, and some of us use tax planning software; however, it’s important to have a professional to guide you through the complexities of purposeful impact in a sustainable and tax-efficient way. Seasoned local advisers know how to interpret changes in the tax code and can advise you based on the specifics of your financial reality.

The best adviser will be one who listens to your values as well as your finances, collaborates well with other advisers and wants to build a relationship — someone who is in it for the long term as your needs evolve. In building the best team for you, many local professional advisers will work with their local community foundation. The philanthropic advisers at a community foundation bring the tools and training their clients need for maximum impact from the charitable portion of their income or estate plans.

If you’d like help connecting with a professional adviser, be it an attorney, CPA or financial adviser, exploring the membership directory of the Anne Arundel Estate Planning Council website is a good place to begin at aaestateplanning.org.

What is CFAAC’s role?

CFAAC staff often meet with individuals and families to help them meet their charitable goals using a variety of tax-smart methods. Professional advisers will sometimes join the conversation to add relevant context of their client’s financial situation. Having this dynamic team in place when considering the most impactful ways to support our nonprofit community, whether it is for donations made this year or next, can lead to powerful results, especially when exploring multi-generational philanthropy.

Check us out at CFAAC.org.

The Community Foundation of Anne Arundel County (CFAAC) is a tax-exempt, 501(c)(3), publicly supported philanthropic organization with the long-term goal of building permanent funds that provide support to local nonprofit organizations through grants and special projects. Its mission is to inspire and promote giving in Anne Arundel County by connecting people who care with causes that matter. Established in 1998, CFAAC is one of the largest funders of nonprofit organizations in Anne Arundel County. CFAAC distributes $6 to $9 million annually. www.cfaac.org.
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This article originally appeared in The Capital Gazette on April 7, 2026