Quick Answer
A donor advised fund (DAF) lets a donor make an irrevocable contribution to a sponsoring organization, take an immediate tax deduction, and then recommend grants to charities over time. Cash gifts deduct up to 60% of AGI; appreciated securities held over a year deduct at fair market value up to 30% of AGI.
A donor advised fund (DAF) is a charitable giving vehicle that allows donors to make an irrevocable contribution, receive an immediate tax deduction, and then recommend grants to charities over time.
Think of it this way: You write one big check to the DAF now, get the tax break immediately, and then take your time deciding which charities to recommend for grants.
How Do Donor Advised Funds Work?
- Donor contributes cash, securities, or other assets to the DAF
- Immediate tax deduction: Donor receives a charitable deduction in the year of contribution
- Assets grow tax-free inside the fund (invested by the sponsoring organization)
- Donor recommends grants to qualified 501(c)(3) charities over time
- Sponsoring organization: the donor recommends, but does not control, grants from the fund
Exam Tip: Gotchas
- Irrevocable contribution, advisory grants. Once assets are in the DAF, the donor cannot take them back. The donor can only recommend where grants go; the sponsoring organization has the final say.
What Are the Key DAF Features?
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Contribution | Irrevocable (cannot be taken back) |
| Tax deduction | Immediate, in the year of contribution |
| Investment growth | Tax-free inside the fund |
| Grant timing | Donor decides when to recommend grants |
| No minimum distribution | No timeline to make grants (though sponsoring orgs may have their own policies) |
| Investment recommendations | Donor can recommend investments within the fund |
| Sponsoring organizations | Fidelity Charitable, Schwab Charitable, community foundations |
What Are the Tax Benefits?
- Cash contributions: Deductible up to 60% of adjusted gross income (AGI)
- Appreciated securities (held > 1 year): Deductible at fair market value (FMV), up to 30% of AGI, with no capital gains tax on the appreciation
- Excess deductions can be carried forward up to 5 years
- Bunching strategy: Contribute several years' worth of charitable gifts in one year to exceed the standard deduction, then recommend grants over multiple years
Exam Tip: Gotchas
- Appreciated securities = double tax benefit. No capital gains tax on the appreciation, plus a deduction at full fair market value.
How Does a DAF Compare to a Private Foundation?
| Feature | Donor Advised Fund | Private Foundation |
|---|---|---|
| Administrative costs | Lower | Higher |
| Control | Donor recommends, does not control | Donor has more control |
| Privacy | Grants can be anonymous | Public tax filings (Form 990-PF) |
| Minimum distribution | None required | Must distribute 5% annually |
| Excise tax | None | Subject to excise taxes |
Exam Tip: Gotchas
- No minimum distribution requirement for DAFs. Unlike private foundations (which must distribute 5% annually), a DAF has no required payout timeline, though sponsoring organizations may have their own policies.
- Private foundations are subject to excise taxes. DAFs are not.
What Should You Check on Exam Day?
- Remember the DAF contribution is irrevocable, and the donor only recommends grants; the donor does not control the sponsoring organization's decisions.
- Remember the tax deduction is taken in the year of contribution, not when grants are later distributed to charities.
- Know the deduction limits: cash up to 60% of AGI, appreciated securities (held over 1 year) up to 30% of AGI at fair market value.
- Remember excess deductions carry forward up to 5 years, and there is no required minimum distribution from a DAF.
- Contrast a DAF with a private foundation: a DAF has lower administrative costs, no excise taxes, and no required annual distribution, while a private foundation offers more donor control but must distribute 5% annually and is subject to excise taxes.