Year-End Giving Checklist for Business Owners

December has a way of arriving all at once. For business owners, year-end means closing the books, paying the team, and planning next year, all while trying to be generous and present with family. A little planning in the fall makes year-end giving calm instead of rushed. Here is a checklist to work through, ideally starting in September or October.

In Early Fall

• Estimate the year. Ask your CPA for a rough view of your income and whether you are likely to itemize.
• Review your giving so far. Gather what you have given this year and to whom.
• Set a giving goal for the year, based first on your giving vision, then on the numbers.
• Decide whether this is a year to front-load your donor-advised fund.

Choose What to Give

Cash gifts to a donor-advised fund are generally deductible up to 60% of AGI. Appreciated assets held more than a year, such as stock, are generally deductible at fair market value up to 30% of AGI, without capital-gains tax on the growth. Gifts above those limits can usually be carried forward for up to five years.

For 2026 and later, remember two newer rules for itemizers: only gifts above 0.5% of AGI count toward the charitable deduction, and top-bracket filers have the benefit of their deductions capped at 35%.

One honest reminder: giving always costs you more than it saves. A deduction lowers your tax by a fraction of the gift, never the whole gift. Give because you want the money to do good, and let the tax rules make that generosity go further.

• List appreciated holdings you have held more than a year.
• Avoid giving assets that have lost value. Selling them and giving cash is often better. Ask your CPA.
• If you are thinking about giving business interests or real estate, start months early. These gifts need sponsor review and usually a qualified appraisal.

Watch the Deadlines

• Check your sponsor’s year-end deadlines. Stock gifts often have earlier cutoffs than cash.
• Start stock transfers early. Brokerage transfers can take several business days.
• Know that a gift counts in the year it is complete. For a mailed check, that is generally the date it is mailed; for stock, the date it arrives in the sponsor’s account. Confirm with your CPA.

Keep Good Records

• Get a written acknowledgment for any single gift of $250 or more. Your sponsor will send one for gifts to your fund.
• For noncash gifts over $500, your CPA will likely need Form 8283 with your return.
• For noncash gifts over $5,000, plan for a qualified appraisal (over $10,000 for non-publicly traded stock). Publicly traded securities do not need one.
• Save everything in one folder for your CPA.

Recommend Your Grants

Grants from your donor-advised fund are not deductible again; the deduction came when you funded the DAF. So there is no tax reason to rush grants out by December 31. Many families still like to make year-end grants to the ministries they support, especially for year-end campaigns. Allow time for the sponsor to review and send them.

A Note for Owners Over 70½

If you give from an IRA using a qualified charitable distribution, know that those distributions cannot go to a donor-advised fund. They must go directly to an eligible charity. Your CPA can help you decide which giving should come from where.

Close the Year With Your Family

Before the year ends, sit down with your family. Share what was given, read any notes from ministries, and pray over next year. Then set next year’s giving calendar while the year is fresh in your mind. Giving that is planned in the fall is usually giving that is enjoyed in December.

This article is education, not tax, legal, or investment advice. Tax results depend on your whole situation. Confirm with your CPA before you act.