3 Strategies for Making an Impact During Turbulent Markets

This article is part of an ongoing series of financial planned giving strategies to help members of the Adventure Unlimited community.

You can keep moving forward with your support of organizations like Adventure Unlimited, even in a time of economic uncertainty.

The first six months of 2022 were marked by levels of market volatility and inflation that haven’t been seen for decades. This double-whammy of investment threats, coupled with international instability, has created stress for investors large and small and for individuals who remain committed to supporting the work of Adventure Unlimited.  

What are the best ways to continue this support in the face of turbulent markets? Here are three strategies that might be worth considering:

Give Your IRA Required Minimum Distribution. If you have an IRA and are 72 years or older, you are required to take annual required minimum distributions (RMDs) from your IRA. If you don’t need your RMD for living expenses, it might be advantageous to give part or all of it to Adventure Unlimited in the form of a qualified charitable distribution. A QCD counts against your annual RMD, so you avoid taxes on the amount you distribute to charity and support an organization you believe in, without taking unplanned withdrawals from depressed investments to support Adventure Unlimited.

Give from a Donor Advised Fund. If you have a donor advised fund, those are funds that are already sitting there, waiting to be distributed to charities you care about. Making a current gift to Adventure Unlimited from a donor advised fund doesn’t require using your current cash or investments – and has an immediate impact.

Lock in a Loss and Give Cash. If you have investments that have dropped in value and are now worth less than what you paid for them (plus any subsequent dividends/distributions), it’s a good idea to talk with your financial advisor about whether it makes sense to continue holding those investments. If not, you might consider selling the assets and claiming the loss against this year’s taxable income. You can then donate the cash from the sales proceeds to Adventure Unlimited. Result: You’ll have locked in an investment loss that reduces your taxable income, and you can claim a charitable deduction for the gift of cash if you itemize deductions.

For more information about giving strategies during turbulent markets, or just to have a conversation about how Adventure Unlimited fits into your philanthropic plans, email giving@adventureunlimited.org.