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Featured Explore Our Culture Careers Yes, You Can Be a Tech Innovator at Morgan Stanley Technology CLEAR Wealth Management Donor Advised Funds: A Smart Way to Manage Your Giving

There’s more to charitable giving than you may realize. Here’s one method that may be tax-efficient and can help enhance your impact.

Key Takeaways Donations to a donor advised fund (DAF) may be eligible for a US federal income tax deduction and, once invested, can potentially grow, tax-free with respect to federal income tax. Donating to a DAF may be useful in years when you are seeking a charitable deduction but want more time to finalize a giving strategy. Certain DAFs may allow you to donate complex assets, including cryptocurrency, shares of privately held companies, real estate, art or automobiles.   When it comes to helping others, people are opening their wallets—wide. Charitable giving topped $592.5 billion in 2024, marking an all-time current dollar high.1 

 

If you’re planning to give to charity before the end of the year but are looking for some flexibility around when and where to make grant recommendations, a donor advised fund (DAF), such as the Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust (MS GIFT), may be a good option. Administered by a 501(c)(3) public charity, a DAF manages charitable donations on your behalf, while giving you important—and immediate—benefits.

The Features of Donor Advised Funds DAFs offer several important features. Because DAFs are public charities, you’ll be eligible for a federal charitable income tax deduction2 when you contribute to the fund, even if:

 

You want to delay decisions on where your money is going in order to develop a more thoughtful and impactful giving strategy You choose to give to qualifying public charities in installments over time  

Let’s say you hold securities that have appreciated significantly. By donating the securities to a DAF, you will not owe the potential capital gains tax on the appreciation and can give yourself time to decide when and where to make your charitable gifts. Between the time you make a donation to a DAF and when you finalize your giving strategy, the donated assets can be invested, with the potential to grow tax-free with respect to federal income tax.

 

DAFs can also offer you a highly effective way to donate more complex assets, including shares of privately held companies, cryptocurrency, real estate, art, automobiles or other items that may need to be appraised.

 

DAF providers can streamline paperwork and administer grants, providing you with necessary documentation to claim a federal income tax deduction.3 You also receive regular statements listing gifts, grants, fees and investment performance for your records.

 

Morgan Stanley offers a suite of philanthropic services through MS GIFT. A dedicated team of Morgan Stanley and MS GIFT professionals work with you and your Financial Advisor to help manage and administer your DAF. 

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Giving Back as a Family A DAF gives you the ability to involve family members in your strategic giving, providing you with the opportunity to share the causes that are important to you and learn more about those important to your family members. You may name a successor to continue managing your giving plan when you are no longer able to do so. And, if you already have a DAF, you may open a “NextGen DAF” through Morgan Stanley with a lower minimum investment, giving your children and grandchildren the ability to give to their own causes and showing them the importance of giving.

Immediate Financial Benefit, Long-Term Influence As stated above, DAFs allow you to recommend the amount and timing of grants to qualified charitable organizations, including other tax-exempt public nonprofit organizations and U.S. religious organizations.

 

DAF investment options typically include separately managed accounts, mutual funds and exchange-traded funds. If you wish to contribute to MS GIFT’s donor advised fund program, you can choose from several options, including, but not limited to, Morgan Stanley’s Select UMA® program that enables clients to align investment decisions with impact priorities across their portfolio.

 

Most DAFs require a minimum initial contribution and minimum grant recommendation. Morgan Stanley GIFT's minimum initial contribution is $25,000 and the minimum grant recommendation is $250. For individuals, the maximum federal income tax deduction when gifting cash to a DAF is 60% of adjusted gross income (AGI)4, although you may carry forward deductions exceeding AGI limits for up to five years. Note: All donations you make to a DAF are irrevocable.

Is a Donor Advised Fund Right for You? DAFs are an accessible way to enjoy immediate tax benefits and are among the most flexible ways for you to facilitate your charitable giving. They are especially useful in years when you are seeking a charitable deduction, but also desire more time to finalize a giving strategy. By donating to a DAF by Dec. 31st, you could achieve your deduction target.

 

Consult your Financial Advisor to explore whether a DAF is right for you, as well as to create a structured giving approach that maximizes your impact, while providing more flexibility to realize your legacy.

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Load More View All Advisors Please be advised that the selection of the Financial Advisors presented to you is done randomly and is based solely upon areas of focus that have been selected by the Financial Advisors themselves and upon their stated preferences or interests. Morgan Stanley makes no representation as to an individual Financial Advisor�s experience and/or knowledge in the stated preferences or interests they have chosen. The preferences and interests that they have chosen have not been vetted by Morgan Stanley. Individuals are encouraged to consider their own unique needs and/or specific circumstances when selecting a Financial Advisor. Wealth Management Feel the Joy of Giving Make a difference and receive tax benefits by supporting charities and causes that are important to you with Morgan Stanley GIFT, a Donor-Advised Fund. Wealth Management Why Advice Matters Going it alone can be difficult. Learn how a Financial Advisor can work with you to build a wealth plan that helps you reach your goals. Wealth Management Tax-Savvy Ways to Give If you’re inclined to help others, consider these tax-efficient ways to make your giving go further. Wealth Management Feel the Joy of Giving Wealth Management Why Advice Matters Wealth Management Tax-Savvy Ways to Give Discover more Insights to help you go further

Morgan Stanley Gift Content Hub Morgan Stanley Wealth Management Footnotes:

1 Source: The 2025 Giving USA Report: Giving USA: The Annual Report on Philanthropy for the Year 2024, published June24, 2025, by Brian Browne and Jeff Hilperts, https://www.bwf.com/giving-usa-2025-report-insights/

2 This deduction is only available if you elect to itemize your deductions.

3 The taxpayer will have to include a form in their tax return filing and may need to get a qualified appraisal. The DAF would not do this on their behalf.

4 Effective in the 2026 tax year, taxpayers who itemize deductions and make charitable contributions will only be able to claim an income tax deduction to the extent that their qualified contributions exceed 0.5% of the donor's AGI. Amounts disallowed under this rule carry over for up to five taxable years. Also starting in 2026 tax year, the tax benefit of itemized charitable deductions will be capped at 35 percent, even for taxpayers in the 37 percent marginal tax bracket.

Disclosures:

This material has been prepared for informational purposes only. It does not provide individually tailored investment advice. It has been prepared without regard to the individual financial circumstances and objectives of persons who receive it. Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC (“Morgan Stanley”) recommends that investors independently evaluate particular investments and strategies, and encourages investors to seek the advice of a Morgan Stanley Financial Advisor. The appropriateness of a particular investment or strategy will depend on an investor’s individual circumstances and objectives.

The Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust, Inc. (MS GIFT) is an organization described in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended that sponsors a donor advised fund program. MS Global Impact Funding Trust (MS GIFT) is a donor advised fund. Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC provides investment management services to MS GIFT. Back office administration provided by RenPSG, an unaffiliated charitable gift administrator.

Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC (“Morgan Stanley”), its affiliates and Morgan Stanley Financial Advisors and Private Wealth Advisors do not provide tax or legal advice. Clients should consult their tax advisor for matters involving taxation and tax planning and their attorney for matters involving trust and estate planning, charitable giving, philanthropic planning and other legal matters.

While we believe that MS GIFT provides a valuable philanthropic opportunity, contributions to MS GIFT are not appropriate for everyone. Other forms of charitable giving may be more appropriate depending on a donor’s specific situation. Of critical importance to any person considering making a donation to MS GIFT is the fact that any such donation is an irrevocable contribution. Although donors will have certain rights to make recommendations to MS GIFT as described in the Donor Circular & Disclosure Statement, contributions become the legal property of MS GIFT when donated. The Donor Circular & Disclosure Statement describes the risks, fees and expenses associated with establishing and maintaining an MS GIFT account. Read it carefully before contributing.

Although the statements of fact and data in this material have been obtained from, and are based upon, sources that the firm believes to be reliable, we do not guarantee their accuracy, and any such information may be incomplete or condensed. This material is for informational purposes only and is not intended as an offer or solicitation with respect to the purchase or sale of any security.

This material may provide the addresses of, or contain hyperlinks to, websites. Morgan Stanley is not implying an affiliation, sponsorship, endorsement with/of the third party or that any monitoring is being done by Morgan Stanley of any information contained within the websites. Except to the extent to which the material refers to website material of Morgan Stanley Wealth Management, the firm has not reviewed the linked site. Equally, except to the extent to which the material refers to website material of Morgan Stanley Wealth Management, the firm takes no responsibility for, and makes no representations or warranties whatsoever as to, the data and information contained therein. Such address or hyperlink (including addresses or hyperlinks to website material of Morgan Stanley Wealth Management) is provided solely for your convenience and information and the content of the linked site does not in any way form part of this document. Accessing such website or following such link through the material or the website of the firm shall be at your own risk and we shall have no liability arising out of, or in connection with, any such referenced website. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management is a business of Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC.

Due to the new and evolving nature of digital currencies and the absence of comprehensive guidance, many significant aspects of the tax treatment of Digital Assets are uncertain.  Prospective donors of crypto currency should consult their own tax advisors concerning the tax consequences to them regarding the purchase, ownership and disposition of Digital Assets, directly or indirectly through a fund or product, under U.S. federal income tax law, as well as the tax law of any relevant state, local or other jurisdiction.

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