This paper focuses on the topic of charitable giving through estate planning. The author provides useful suggestions for how to effectively frame the conversation with your clients to enable you to access information about what is important to them. She discusses the use of endowments and private foundations to provide flexible planning to your clients and concludes by reminding the reader that these conversations are not awkward or overly personal, as practitioners sometimes assume. Conversely, these conversations are deeply appreciated by donors who are eager to discuss their wishes.

This paper was drawn from materials presented at the Advising an Aging Population seminar held in May 2012.