Fee-Only · Fiduciary · Infinitus Wealth Management
Tax-Advantaged Charitable Giving: Donor-Advised Funds at Infinitus
A donor-advised fund lets you set money aside for charity today, take the deduction in the year you give, and recommend grants to the causes you care about on your own timeline. For Infinitus clients, that fund now sits inside the same Altruist household as the rest of your custom portfolio: funded with appreciated shares you already own, invested by the team that manages your other accounts, visible on the same statement, and managed at no additional cost as part of your relationship with the firm.
Strategy designed and managed by Erik James Roberts,
— Founder & Chief Investment Officer, Infinitus Wealth Management. Wharton MBA · Fee-only fiduciary.
$0
Opening, balance, or grant minimum
1.8+
Eligible charities you can grant to
1
Login: your DAF beside every other account
0%
Infinitus advisory fee on the fund
What a Donor-Advised Fund Does for Your Charitable Giving
A donor-advised fund, or DAF, is a charitable account held at a public charity called the sponsor. You contribute cash or securities, the gift is complete the moment it arrives, and you keep the right to recommend which charities receive grants, in what amounts, and when. The balance stays invested and grows with no tax on gains or income inside the fund.
Every tax benefit happens at the moment you contribute. The deduction belongs to that year, and the capital gains tax you avoid by giving appreciated shares is avoided then. Nothing you do afterward changes your taxes. The contribution is the tax decision. The grants are purely the giving.
How a Donor-Advised Fund Works at Infinitus
Altruist, the custodian that holds every Infinitus account, offers donor-advised funds sponsored by Endaoment. For Infinitus investment management clients, that means a charitable account in the same household as your other accounts, with no separate login and no advisory fee on the fund.
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Open. We open the fund in your Altruist household and send it to you to accept electronically. No opening minimum.
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Fund. Contribute cash, move appreciated securities in without selling them, or move an existing fund from another sponsor.
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Invest. We build the fund's portfolio from our investment strategies, within the sponsor's investment policy.
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Grant. From the Altruist app, search 1.8 million eligible charities and recommend grants, once or recurring, anonymously if you wish. The sponsor approves and pays, usually within five to seven business days.
Why Giving Appreciated Shares Beats Writing a Check
Sell a stock you have held more than a year and you owe capital gains tax on the growth. Give those same shares to a donor-advised fund and no sale occurs: no capital gains tax, and a deduction for the full market value on the day you give. The charity ends up with more, and so do you. It also solves a practical problem, since many churches, schools, and smaller nonprofits cannot accept stock. The fund takes the shares, sells them tax-free inside, and sends cash to any eligible charity.
Because every Infinitus portfolio is built from securities you own directly, we can choose the most appreciated positions to give and, if you still want the exposure, rebuy the same company in your taxable account at today's price with a higher cost basis.
Making the Most of the Current Charitable Deduction Rules
For itemizers, charitable gifts are deductible only above a floor of 0.5% of adjusted gross income, and the benefit is capped at 35 cents on the dollar for the top bracket. Small gifts spread across many years lose a slice to the floor each year, and many never clear the standard deduction at all.
The answer is bunching: concentrate several years of planned giving into one contribution, itemize that year, and take the standard deduction in the years between. A donor-advised fund is what makes it practical. The charities still receive their support every year, on the schedule you choose, while the deduction is taken when it does the most good.
A Giving Plan That Outlasts the Gift
Name successors who take over the right to recommend grants, so a child or grandchild inherits a practice of giving, not just a balance. Direct that whatever remains go to specific organizations. And because the sponsor owns the assets from the day you contribute, the fund sits outside your taxable estate. A donor-advised fund delivers most of what a private foundation offers with none of the overhead: no separate entity, no annual return, no required payout, no excise tax. Those are the conversations where giving enters financial and estate planning.
What to know before you contribute
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The gift is permanent. Once assets reach the sponsor they belong to charity and cannot be returned.
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Who decides what. You pick the charities. We pick the investments.
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Cash and marketable securities. Funds on Altruist accept cash and publicly traded securities. Private company stock, real estate, and digital assets are not accepted.
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Grants are paid in cash to eligible U.S. charities. There is no required annual payout.
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One fee, and it is not ours. Endaoment's tiered administrative fee starts at 0.50% a year on the first $500,000 and steps down as the balance grows. Infinitus charges no advisory fee on the fund, and there are no donation or grant fees.
Give the shares that have grown the most, take the deduction when it counts, and let the fund carry your generosity forward on your own terms.
We Can Take Care of Your Giving, Too
Most investors want this kind of help and few receive it. In a T. Rowe Price study of more than 500 high-net-worth and high-income investors, 76% wanted philanthropic guidance from their advisor and only 36% were getting it. At Infinitus, giving is part of the ordinary work of managing your wealth. Before a review meeting we look at a potential contribution alongside the rest of your portfolio and arrive with a suggestion about which holdings to give; if you agree, we prepare it for you to confirm. Your fund is invested by the team that manages your other accounts, and because Infinitus is a fee-only fiduciary that charges nothing on the fund itself, the only interest we have in your giving is seeing it done well.
We Manage Your Giving for Free
Money in your donor-advised fund has already been given away. We don't think you should pay us to manage it, so we don't charge. Your fund gets the same team, the same research, and the same attention as every other account in your household, at no cost to you. The only fee is the sponsor's, and it steps down as the fund grows.
⎯ Frequently Asked Questions
Donor-Advised Fund Questions, Answered
When do I get the tax deduction? In the year you contribute to the fund. Grants made later are not deductible again.
Is there a minimum? No. No opening minimum, no balance minimum, and no grant minimum.
Can I give stock instead of cash? Yes, and for most clients it is the better gift. Publicly traded securities held more than a year move into the fund without being sold, so no capital gains tax is triggered and you can generally deduct full market value. Consult your tax advisor about your own situation.
How does the deduction work under the current rules? For taxpayers who itemize, charitable gifts are deductible only above a floor of 0.5% of adjusted gross income, and the benefit is capped at 35 cents per dollar for the top bracket. Cash gifts are deductible up to 60% of AGI and appreciated securities up to 30%, with a five-year carryforward. Contributions to a donor-advised fund do not qualify for the separate deduction for taxpayers who take the standard deduction. Infinitus does not provide tax advice; confirm the details with your tax advisor.
Who invests the fund? Infinitus does, under an investment management agreement with Endaoment, the sponsor, within an investment policy that keeps the fund diversified and liquid enough for grants.
Can I move a donor-advised fund I already have? Yes. We open your Altruist fund first; you then ask your current sponsor to grant the balance into it. Timing depends on the current sponsor.
What does it cost? Endaoment’s fee, and that’s it: 0.50% on the first $500K, stepping down to 0.10% above $15M. A $1M fund pays about 0.40%. Infinitus charges nothing to manage it.
How do I get started? Schedule a conversation with our team. We will talk through your giving goals, identify which holdings make the best gift, and open the fund inside your Altruist household. Contact us at erik.roberts@infinituswealth.com or request a consultation today.
⎯ Getting Started
From First Call to Fully Invested.
01
Discovery Call
A no-pressure conversation about your goals, holdings, and what you want your wealth to do — by phone, video, or in person.
02
Strategy Review
We review your holdings, goals, and risk profile, then share observations on how your portfolio is positioned and where a tailored approach may help.
03
Onboarding
A fully digital onboarding — accounts opened and transfers authorized with a few e-signatures, most holdings moving over exactly as they are.
04
Active Management
We build and manage your portfolio — with ongoing research, tax-aware adjustments, and regular portfolio reviews as markets and your life evolve.
Already working with an advisor? We initiate the transfer with your former firm for you — no awkward phone call on your end — and most accounts move in-kind, exactly as they are. See how switching works →
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Infinitus Wealth Management · Music Row · 55 Music Square E, Suite B, Nashville, TN 37203 · Office: (330) 307-9396 · erik.roberts@infinituswealth.com
Disclosure: Infinitus Wealth Management is a registered investment adviser. Registration does not imply a certain level of skill or training. This page is for general informational and educational purposes only and is not an offer, recommendation, or solicitation to buy or sell any security or to make any charitable contribution. Donor-advised funds described here are made available through Altruist Financial LLC, member FINRA/SIPC, and are sponsored by Endaoment, a 501(c)(3) public charity that is the legal owner of all fund assets. Infinitus does not sponsor, own, or administer any donor-advised fund. Contributions are irrevocable and cannot be returned to the donor. Grant and investment recommendations are advisory only and subject to Endaoment's approval; donors may not receive any benefit from fund grants. Infinitus manages donor-advised fund assets under an investment management agreement with Endaoment. Infinitus charges no advisory fee on donor-advised funds it manages, and this service is available to clients whose other accounts Infinitus manages under a written advisory agreement; Endaoment's administrative fee is charged to the fund and is separate from any Infinitus fee on the client's other accounts. Neither Altruist nor Endaoment is affiliated with Infinitus, and Infinitus receives no referral, placement, or other compensation from either in connection with donor-advised funds. Details of the service and any related conflicts of interest are described in our Form ADV. All tax information on this page is general in nature, reflects current federal rules as understood at the time of writing, and may change; the examples shown are hypothetical and do not represent any client's actual results. Deductibility depends on your individual circumstances, including whether you itemize, your adjusted gross income, your tax bracket, and applicable state law. Infinitus does not provide tax or legal advice; consult your tax advisor and attorney before making any charitable contribution. All investing involves risk, including the possible loss of principal, and donor-advised fund assets are not FDIC insured. SIPC protection covers the custody of assets and does not cover investment losses. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Advisory services are offered only pursuant to a written advisory agreement.