“Everyone has gifts to share. It is our personal responsibility to discover them!” Philanthropic Advisor and author, Joy H. Selak, Ph.D., shared this message at our February 2020 Consume & Converse luncheon in San Antonio, Texas.
This topic is further explored in Joy’s award-winning novel titled, CeeGee’s Gift. The novel sends the reader on a journey of generosity that begins with a young girl and old man recognizing and appreciating their special gifts. Supporting each other as they find a way to uniquely impact their community.
Joy continued her message by sharing her thoughts around Legacy Giving. Personal experiences and a deep knowledge of a cause or organization is often where our desire for a philanthropic legacy begins. A process fueled by personal passion.
Through a combination of current and after-life gifts, we can model our generosity for family and friends. This type of planning has been found to deepen relationships, increase donor satisfaction, and strengthen advisor relationships.
The United States is the most generous country on Earth. America is also now experiencing the greatest transfer of wealth in our history. Joy further commented that “while 86% of Americans think philanthropy is important, donors do not want to be told how, when, or to whom to give. Statistics show that giving nearly doubles if advisors are involved.”
The key to working with advisors is to have a process for helping the wealth holder identify and prioritize their options. A collaborative advisory team is often the key to fully executing the charitable giving plans. This longer view of financial planning allows donors to see the benefits during their lifetime and provides the ideal platform for sharing values across generations.
Joy, Todd Healy, and Carolyn Smith have achieved the designation of Chartered Advisors in Philanthropy® (CAP®) issued by The American College. CAPs are specifically trained to facilitate collaboration between the donor’s financial advisors, estate planning attorneys, and nonprofits. Working together to make the donor’s vision a reality.
