Winter 2026

Dear Advisors,

Tax season is in full swing, and we’re honored to work with so many attorneys, accountants, and financial advisors as you serve your philanthropic clients.

The first quarter of the year is full of opportunities to revisit planning techniques related to charitable giving, particularly in light of recent tax law changes. In this issue, we're covering how those changes may impact your clients' giving strategies in 2026. You'll also read about the value of charitable planning in retaining clients, and how real estate can be repurposed to achieve your clients' charitable goals.

As always, our team at Akron Community Foundation is here to support you. Whether you’re helping a client navigate a life transition, untangle a technical rule change, or explore creative ways to give using non-cash assets, we're happy to serve as a resource and collaborative partner. Please don't hesitate to reach out as your clients are considering their charitable giving plans for 2026 and beyond.

Warm regards,

Laura Lederer

Vice President and Chief Development Officer

Akron Community Foundation

330-436-5611

llederer@akroncf.org

P.S. We've heard from many of you that our 2025-2026 Tax & Charitable Reference Guide has made this busy tax season easier. If you haven't yet downloaded your free copy, you can find both the brochure and the poster on our website.

As you track the IRS thresholds that are subject to adjustment each year, have you considered how each one might relate to your clients' charitable giving? Keep these pointers handy as you inform your clients about changes in 2026 and help them tee up their charitable giving plans for the coming year.

Any thoughtful engagement with a client's family improves the chances of maintaining the relationship. Philanthropy, though, provides a uniquely meaningful avenue to build trust and spark conversation – keeping your clients' families engaged with you long after wealth transfers from one generation to the next.

As more families hold significant wealth in property rather than cash, philanthropy will increasingly involve non-cash assets, especially appreciated real estate. It's important to be aware of how real estate can be repurposed to support charitable goals in a tax-efficient way. Here are six points to keep in mind.

Make Tax Season Easier With Our Free Guide:

To request printed brochures for your office, please contact us.

Nonprofit Spotlight: Ballet Excel Ohio

Celebrating 50 years of dance education, Ballet Excel Ohio is the fourth-oldest youth ballet in the country. It's also the only nonprofit in Ohio that offers full, multi-year scholarships for dancers at the pre-professional level, helping to eliminate financial barriers. "Many of our students ... go on to professional dance careers, while all gain confidence, discipline, and a lasting sense of belonging through the arts," said Artistic Director Mia Klinger.

Fundholder Spotlight: The Charles and Salome Reymann Foundation

The Reymann family's philanthropic legacy began in the 19th century, when Charles Reymann immigrated to the U.S. and laid roots in Akron. Today, that legacy continues through the Charles and Salome Reymann Foundation, a private foundation dedicated to improving the lives of people with developmental disabilities in Northeast Ohio. In 2022, the family established a donor-advised fund at Akron Community Foundation to complement and enhance the work of their foundation.

Financial Advisor Magazine

Three Tax Law Changes to Factor Into Your 2026 Planning

WealthManagement.com 

Six Tips for Helping Clients With Meaningful, Strategic Philanthropy

Kiplinger

For More Flexible Giving, Consider Combining a Charitable Remainder Trust With a Donor-Advised Fund

ThinkAdvisor

5 Ways Life Insurance and Annuities Fit Into Charitable Giving



WealthManagement.com 

Incorporate Charitable Giving in Succession Planning

Akron Community Foundation

Akron Community Foundation to Host 3rd Annual Nonprofit Insights Conference

Service Project Builds Connection Among Advisors

In December, members of our Professional Advisor Council organized holiday gifts for local families as part of OPEN M's Christmas for the Love of Children program. These service projects allow advisors to connect with local colleagues while making a tangible difference in Greater Akron. For information about our Professional Advisor Council and upcoming service opportunities, please contact Laura Lederer.

Save the Date: Young Professionals Gathering

Save the date for our next young professionals event on Thursday, May 14, at the Akron RubberDucks game. This will be a fun and casual opportunity for young professionals in accounting, financial planning, law and related fields to network with one another. More information will be available in the coming weeks. To ensure you receive an invitation, please contact Laura Lederer.

For more charitable giving news and resources you can share with your clients

Research shows there is a science behind how generosity develops, and those same principles can be used intentionally to help nurture generosity in the young people in your clients' lives. If your client has a donor-advised fund at Akron Community Foundation, they have access to complimentary support services through our Center for Family Philanthropy.

Several of our staff members are 21/64 Certified Philanthropic Advisors who are trained to: 

1. Facilitate Growing Goodness, a tool designed to help adults be intentional about raising generous children. It offers 10 best practices, drawn from research and real-world experiences, that make conversations about values practical and actionable.
   
2. Lead age-appropriate family discussions around empathy, values and philanthropic interests. These dialogues can lead to an engaging family philanthropic plan that includes everyone. 
   
3. Support meaningful money conversations. We facilitate activities that help families talk about money and build their financial literacy in ways that are approachable, engaging and values-based. 
   
4. Expand the definition of generosity. Giving is not just about money. We help families explore how each member can contribute their time, talents and ties.

To learn more about the services available to fundholders through The Center for Family Philanthropy, contact Karen Hrdlicka.

Meet Our Professional Advisor Council

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