West Michigan Philanthropy

Lessons Learned from Hoensheid v. Commissioner

Lessons Learned from Hoensheid v. Commissioner: “Virtually Certain” Sales, the Anticipatory Assignment of Income, and the Qualified Appraisal Requirements John McFarland, with Miller Johnson’s Private Client Group, and Jon Beer, with Chicago based firm Levun, Goodman & Cohen, discuss the ins and outs of the recent Tax Court Case, Estate of Hoensheid v. Comm’r, T.C. Memo. 2023-34, decided March 15, 2023.

Donor Motivation: How to Start the ‘Giving Conversation’

In this episode of West Michigan Philanthropy, Miller Johnson Attorney John T. McFarland welcomes Teresa Reid, Catholic Foundation of West Michigan’s Gift Planning Officer, to discuss tips on uncovering donor motivations and how to have legacy giving conversations.

Understanding Charitable Unitrusts

In this episode of West Michigan Philanthropy, Miller Johnson Attorney John T. McFarland, and Carolyn Kley Fanning, with Hillsdale College, discuss the ins and outs of Charitable Remainder Unitrusts (CRUTs).  CRUTs provide taxpayers with the opportunity to bypass capital gains taxes, increase income, and obtain a charitable income tax deduction.  With higher Section 7520 rates, taxpayer donors are revisiting CRUTs as a way to reduce their tax burden, generate an income stream, and support their favorite charitable causes.

Donor Advised Funds: A Simple and Strategic Way to Give to Charity

A donor advised fund (DAF) provides donors with the opportunity to take an immediate charitable income tax deduction for their contributions to the fund. Donors may then make grant recommendations to the DAF administrator for grant distributions to any qualified public charity. In this episode of West Michigan Philanthropy, Miller Johnson Attorney John T. McFarland, Jamie Kuiper, President/General Counsel of National Christian Foundation Michigan, and Dan Poortenga, Vice President (West Michigan) of National Christian Foundation Michigan discuss the ins and outs of DAFs.

How New Secure Act Provides Tax Benefits To Donors

In the premiere episode of West Michigan Philanthropy, Miller Johnson Attorney John T. McFarland explores Secure Act 2.0's new tax advantages with qualified charitable distributions with Jennifer Yelovina, Senior Director of Gift Planning at Western Michigan University, and Brad Kaufmann, Director of Planned Giving at the Mary Free Bed Foundation.