For Donors

Minimize Your Taxes. Maximize Your Legacy.

While 97% of American wealth is held in capital assets, most charitable donations are still made in cash—leaving significant tax savings on the table. We bridge the gap by helping donors look beyond the checkbook.

Working with your trusted advisors (CPA, attorney, wealth manager, etc.) we explore the nuances of asset-based philanthropy—including real estate, business interests, appreciated securities, and more. Together, we will structure tax-optimized gifts that drastically reduce your tax burden, allowing you to preserve more for your family legacy and multiply your impact on the causes you love.

Connect with cornerstone

Case Studies

  • Gifting a Business

    James was preparing to sell his $675,000 restaurant franchise the conventional way—until he learned he was about to pay more than $150,000 in capital gains tax for no reason. He had already planned to give roughly the full fair market value to charity over the next several years.

    So why send tax payments to the IRS first?

    That discovery changed his course. Instead of selling the franchise and donating the proceeds, James gifted the business in full, directly to charity. The move eliminated $176,000 in long-term capital gains tax and secured a full $675,000 charitable deduction, with a five-year carryforward.

    In a single step, he accomplished years of intended giving, ensuring his favorite charities received the maximum benefit, with nothing lost to unnecessary tax.

  • Income for Life & Deductions

    When Gary decided it was time to part ways with a commercial facility, he wanted the sale to do more than generate cash. He wanted it to generate impact, and he didn't want to lose a large share of its value to capital gains tax. Through philanthropic planning, he gifted the $850,000 property using a two-part strategy: 45% went directly to the cause he cared about, and the remaining 55% funded a Charitable Remainder Trust (CRT).

    The outcome was everything he'd hoped for. He eliminated the capital gains tax he would have owed and avoided depreciation recapture—a savings of roughly $285,000—and secured $592,000 in charitable deductions. Best of all, the CRT now pays him a steady $20,800 a year for life. What started as a single piece of real estate became an enduring legacy and a dependable income stream.


  • The Fruits of Planning

    When David and Karen were ready to move on from a $1.7 million commercial property, they wanted to accomplish three things: retain value for their next chapter, minimize taxes, and make a meaningful charitable impact.

    With the help of a philanthropic architect, they divided the property three ways—deferring tax on $700,000 through a 1031 exchange into an Arizona rental property, gifting $300,000 to a Donor Advised Fund (DAF), and placing the remaining ownership interest into a Charitable Remainder Trust (CRT).

    The plan delivered on every front. It eliminated or deferred $572,000 in capital gains tax, preserved $700,000 of value in their rental home, and unlocked a $517,500 charitable deduction. The CRT now pays them $35,000 a year for life, and when the trust matures, its remainder—together with the $300,000 already in their DAF—will support the causes they love.

    One property became retirement security, immediate tax relief, and a lasting charitable legacy.