After TaxTax Playbook

Tax Playbook · Giving, strategically

Donor-advised funds & bunching

Instead of giving a little to charity every year, give several years' worth all at once into a donor-advised fund — like a charitable savings account. You get one big tax deduction this year (big enough to beat the standard deduction), then hand the money to charities over time. 2026 fine print: only gifts above 0.5% of your income count, top earners get a bit less value per dollar, and there's a new small deduction ($1,000 single / $2,000 married) for cash gifts if you don't itemize — but gifts to the fund don't qualify for that one.

Good for: Charitable givers who usually take the standard deduction.

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Educational summary, not tax advice. Limits and rules change — confirm current law with your tax adviser.