Apr 1, 2005 12:00 PM

By Douglas K. Freeman, chairman and national managing partner, and Kenneth E. Neisser, director, pro

California is a significant force in philanthropy in the United States. In 2001, California's taxpayers contributed $16.5 billion to philanthropy, in a year that saw $122 billion given to charity nationwide. California ranks 10th in the country in charitable deductions by taxpayers with incomes of $75,000 to $100,000¹, and second in the country, behind only New York, in the total number of foundations, foundation assets and annual grants made. The Golden State leads the nation in the number and size of donor-advised funds. As of 2001, there were more than 5,600 charitable foundations in the state, representing more than 9 percent of the total number of foundations in the United States, and nearly 14 percent of all foundation assets.² Assets and grants to California foundations more than tripled in the 1990s. Forty-two percent of the state's foundations were created in the 1990s, compared to 36 percent at the national level.³

Understanding what drives California's donors and the role that their professional advisors play is therefore important to anyone concerned with the public policy, best practices and the general advancement of philanthropy. With an eye toward these issues, two separate independent studies were conducted, one focusing on the perspective of California's donors, and the other on the professionals who advise them. Although these studies were not paired, looking at them together reveals an uncomfortable truth:

Topics of Interest

Estate Tax	Donor Advised Funds
GSTs	Family Offices
Private Foundations	Life Insurance
2010 Tax Act News	Industry Trends Surveys

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Topics of Interest

Estate Tax	Donor Advised Funds
GSTs	Family Offices
Private Foundations	Life Insurance
2010 Tax Act News	Industry Trends Surveys

E-Newsletter Signup

2011 Trust Glossary

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50 Years Ago This Month

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50 years ago, in May 1962, we featured articles such as: "Future of Canadian Trusteeship" by Arthur H. Mingay", "Training Trust Employees" by Ian M. Marr, "What is a Trust Officer?" by Eric J. Brown, and "Selling Services" by Donald I. Webb.

Conrad Teitell's Guide to Tax Benefits For Charitable Gifts

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