What questions should I ask a financial adviser about charitable giving?

Cover five areas: how much you can give and whether to give now or over time; whether you actually need your own foundation or a simpler sub-fund or direct giving; the true all-in costs of each structure; how you'll know your giving is working and can follow the money to a real outcome; and what happens to the giving and its mission after you're gone. The question most advisers won't raise: could your capital do more if it came back and was given again, through recoverable grants?

Do I need my own foundation to give well?

Often no. Giving directly or through a sub-fund can achieve the same outcome for far less cost and administration than your own foundation. Ask your adviser to compare the true all-in setup and ongoing costs before defaulting to a private structure.

A giving guide · Australia

Questions to ask your adviser about giving

For most people, giving is an afterthought in the wealth conversation — squeezed in after tax, super and estate planning. A few sharp questions change that. Good advisers welcome them; the questions just make sure giving gets the same care as the rest of your plan.

How much, and when

How much could I give without affecting the lifestyle I want to keep?
Am I better giving a lot now, or steadily over many years — and why?
What's the most tax-effective way for me to give this year?

Which structure (if any)

Do I actually need my own foundation, or would giving directly or a sub-fund do the same job for less?
What are the true all-in costs — setup and ongoing — of each option?
If I set up a giving fund, what's the minimum it must distribute each year, and how will the rest be invested?

Impact and transparency

How will I actually know my giving is working?
Can I follow my money to a real outcome, or does it disappear into a fund?
What happens to capital that isn't distributed — how long can it sit?

Family and legacy

Who makes the grant decisions, and can my family be involved?
What happens to the giving when I'm gone?
How do we keep the mission from drifting over time?

The one most advisers won't raise

Could my giving do more if the capital came back and was given again — instead of being spent once — through recoverable grants?

A quick word: this isn't about catching your adviser out. The best advisers are allies in giving well — these questions just arm the conversation. And if it helps to get clear on your own answers first, that's exactly what our short reflection is for.

Understand your giving Which giving vehicle fits

General information only, written for Australia — not financial or tax advice.