Simple Ways to Make a Bigger Impact in 2026
As the year comes to a close, many of us take time to reflect on the people and causes that matter most. It’s also an ideal time to review your charitable giving and ensure it aligns with your philanthropic and financial goals.
Whether you’re supporting a favorite nonprofit or exploring new giving opportunities and tax-savings strategies, thoughtful planning can help your generosity go even further. Here are five ways to maximize your year-end giving, plus a helpful list of key year-end deadlines.
1. Understand New Tax Law Changes
New federal tax rules took effect January 1, 2026, and may affect your charitable giving strategy. Talk with your tax advisor about what these changes mean for you.
- For non-itemizers: Standard deduction filers may claim a charitable deduction of up to $1,000 for individuals or $2,000 for married couples filing jointly for qualifying cash gifts. Gifts to donor-advised funds are not eligible.
- For itemizers: Charitable contributions must now be in excess of 0.5% of Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) to be eligible for deductibility, and high-income taxpayers may see deduction benefits capped at a 35% marginal tax rate ceiling.
2. Utilize Appreciated Assets
Donating low-basis stocks, mutual funds, and other long-term appreciated investments can be one of the most tax-efficient ways to give. You may avoid capital gains taxes while receiving a charitable deduction for the asset’s full fair market value.
3. Put Illinois Gives to Work to Receive a 25% State Tax Credit
Through the Illinois Gives Tax Credit, qualifying gifts to permanent endowment funds at Illinois community foundations like DuPage Foundation are eligible for a 25% Illinois state income tax credit, helping you invest in DuPage and your favorite causes and fields of interest while receiving a valuable tax benefit. Gifts to donor-advised funds are ineligible.
4. Don’t Overlook Your IRA
If you’re age 70½ or older, a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) from your IRA may reduce taxable income while supporting charitable causes. Up to $111,000 per individual or $222,222 per couple in QCDs may be directed to many charitable funds at DuPage Foundation or directly to nonprofits, though donor-advised funds are ineligible.
5. Consider if “Bunching” Makes Sense for You
One strategy that continues to be effective for some donors is “bunching.”
Instead of making charitable gifts in roughly equal amounts each year, consider combining two or more years of planned gifts into a single tax year. By “bunching” your contributions, you may be able to itemize deductions in one year and take the standard deduction in subsequent years, potentially increasing your overall tax savings.
KEY YEAR-END DEADLINES
SEPTEMBER 30 (deadline passed)
- Deadline to initiate real estate gift planning.
DECEMBER 4
- Recommended deadline to initiate IRA/QCD contributions.
- Recommended deadline to initiate electronic mutual fund gift transfers.
- Recommended deadline to initiate gifts of personal property (coins, collections, etc.) donation.
DECEMBER 11
- Deadline for grant recommendations from a DuPage Foundation donor-advised fund and suggested deadline to recommend non-DuPage Foundation donor-advised fund grants.
DECEMBER 23
- Recommended deadline to initiate ACH and electronic stock transfers.
- Recommended deadline to mail a donation via USPS.
DECEMBER 31
- Last day to personally deliver a contribution to DuPage Foundation office (our office will be open 8:30 a.m. to noon).
- Deadline for credit card donations.
CONTRIBUTIONS OF CASH
By Mail When sending charitable donations through the mail, the IRS considers the date of postmark to be gift date. To ensure a contribution through the USPS qualifies for 2026, we recommend mailing your gift by 12/23. If mailing a donation after 12/23, request a same-day hand-stamped postmark at the post office or send via certified or registered mail.
Checks can be mailed to: DuPage Foundation 3000 Woodcreek Drive, Ste. 310 Downers Grove, IL 60515. (List fund name or donation purpose in the memo line.)
By Credit Card To make a contribution by credit card, visit dupagefoundation.org/donate. Completed online transactions qualify through Thursday, December 31.
ACH Transfer Donation transfers from your bank or money market account generally clear in 1-2 days but, at year end, can take longer. Contact us for transfer instructions or visit dupagefoundation.org/donate. ACH transfers should be initiated by Wednesday, December 23.
Drop Off at Our Office To personally drop off cash or check gifts, our office will be open through noon on Thursday, December 31. We will be closed December 24-27.
IRA QUALIFIED CHARITABLE DISTRIBUTIONS (QCDS)
For those 70½ and older who are looking to take advantage of the amazing benefits of using an IRA to make Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs), such gifts are considered to be made when the distribution from the IRA leaves the account, not on the day it is initiated. Therefore, please initiate your requests by Friday, December 4, to ensure checks are received by the charity and cashed before year-end.
For 2026, the QCD maximum is $111,000/individual or $222,000/couple. QCDs can be contributed to all types of funds at DuPage Foundation, with the exception of donor-advised funds. If you have check-writing privileges on your IRA, remember that the funds must leave the custodial account by your IRA administrator’s last business day of the year for the distribution to count against your 2026 RMD.
CONTRIBUTIONS OF STOCK AND MUTUAL FUNDS
Electronic transfers of stock, mutual funds, and other securities are eligible for deduction upon the occurrence of their actual transfer from the donor to the charity’s custody, not upon the time of a transfer’s request. Please be aware of stock market schedules and recognize that some mutual funds may take up to two to three weeks for transfer. To ensure a transfer is initiated well in advance to work within the rules of your account administrator, plan to initiate mutual fund transfers by Friday, December 4, and stock transfers by Wednesday, December 23, to ensure your gifts arrive as desired.
Contact us at 630.665.5556 to request transfer instructions.
GRANT RECOMMENDATIONS FROM A DONOR-ADVISED FUND
DuPage Foundation Fund Donor-advised fund grant recommendations are made through our Donor Portal at dcfdn.fcsuite.com/erp/fundmanager or by contacting Laura Timmerberg, program officer at laura@dupagefoundation.org or 630.598.5295. To ensure grants reach your desired charities by year end, grant recommendations must be submitted by Friday, December 11.
Non-DuPage Foundation Fund Please check with your Donor-Advised Fund sponsor to determine its timeline for processing year-end grants if you want to ensure arrival by end of the calendar year.
CONTRIBUTIONS OF REAL ESTATE
Inquiries for gifts of real estate must be initiated by Wednesday, September 30, to allow ample time for appropriate due diligence, including, but not limited to appraisals and Phase I environmental impact audits. Real estate may be given at its current market value, allowing a full deduction and avoiding capital gains tax on the appreciation. Properties under contract for sale are not eligible to be gifted. Properties that are encumbered by a trust, deed, loan, or mortgage will be accepted only in exceptional circumstances.
CONTRIBUTIONS OF PERSONAL PROPERTY (COINS, COLLECTIONS, ETC.)
Inquiries for gifts of personal property like coins, collections, and other tangible assets should be initiated by Friday, December 4, to allow ample time for appropriate due diligence, including, but not limited to appraisals and other assessments.
We’re Here to Help
No two charitable giving plans are exactly alike. Whether you’re making a year-end gift, establishing a charitable fund, or considering a long-term giving plan, our team can help you explore your options alongside your financial, legal, and tax advisors to create lasting impact throughout DuPage and beyond.
This content is provided for informational purposes only. DuPage Foundation does not provide legal, accounting, or financial planning advice. Please consult your tax or legal advisor to learn how this information might apply to your own situation.
