Tax breaks aren’t prime reason for high-net-worth philanthropy

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Tax breaks aren’t the primary incentive for philanthropy among the ultra-wealthy, according to BNY Mellon Wealth Management’s inaugural Charitable Giving Study.  

The report, polling 200 individuals with wealth ranging from $5 million to more than $25 million, found the top three motivators were personal satisfaction, connection to a cause or organization and a sense of duty regarding giving back.

By contrast, tax benefits ranked among the bottom three reasons for donating money to charity, the findings show.

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“The findings in the BNY Mellon study aren’t surprising,” said Juan Ros, a certified financial planner with Forum Financial Management in Thousand Oaks, California. “The data has been very consistent from year to year, particularly when it comes to donor motivation.”

“Taxes are a nice side benefit, and sometimes taxes can be the catalyst for a larger discussion of charitable goals, but taxes are not a primary reason why people give,” Ros said.

Younger donors

However, it’s difficult to predict if the uptick will continue, as charitable giving is highly correlated with the stock market, according to Giving USA, which has tracked U.S. philanthropy for more than 60 years.

Still, experts feel optimistic about the future of giving.

“The U.S. has always been a generous country, and philanthropy is part of our cultural DNA,” Ros from Forum Financial Management said.

Source: https://www.cnbc.com/2022/05/23/tax-breaks-arent-prime-reason-for-high-net-worth-philanthropy.html