Giving While You’re Living: How Generosity Can Reflect Your Values, Not Just Your Wealth 

By Heather Gardner, CFP®, CeFT®

After divorce or the loss of a spouse, many women find themselves re-evaluating money. Not just how much they have, but what it stands for and what they want to use it for. 

For families who have accumulated wealth, the goal is often not simply to pass along money, but to pass along values such as kindness, responsibility, gratitude, or a sense of purpose. 

Charitable giving during your lifetime can be a meaningful way to do this, while also potentially simplifying your estate and bringing generations together around shared causes. 

“Charity Starts at Home”: Giving to Family During Your Lifetime 

For many widows and divorcees, charitable intent begins with helping family members — adult children, grandchildren, or others who could benefit from support now, not someday. 

Lifetime gifts to individuals can: 

• Potentially reduce the size of your future estate 

• Allow you to see the impact of your generosity 

• Help loved ones at meaningful moments (education, first homes, caregiving years) 

Annual Gift Exclusion Rules (2026) 

Under current law, you can give up to the annual gift exclusion amount to as many individuals as you wish each year, without using any of your lifetime estate and gift tax exemption. 

For 2026, the annual gift exclusion is expected to be $19,000 per recipient, indexed for inflation. 

What that means in practice: 

• You can give up to $19,000 to one person in 2026 without filing a gift tax return 

• You can give $19,000 each to multiple people — children, grandchildren, or others.  

• Example: You want to give to your adult daughter and her family. She is currently married with two children. You can give $76,000 in 2026, which is $19,000 for her, her husband, child #1 and child #2.    

• These gifts may reduce your taxable estate over time 

This type of giving often aligns with the saying “charity starts at home.” It allows you to support the people you care about most while you’re here to enjoy watching them thrive. 

Donor Advised Funds: Where Values and Family Meet 

For those who also want to support nonprofits and participate in tax advantaged charitable donations, Donor Advised Funds (DAFs) offer a flexible and deeply meaningful way to give during your lifetime. 

A Donor Advised Fund allows you to: 

• Make a charitable contribution now 

• Potentially receive an immediate tax deduction (subject to IRS limits) 

• Decide later which nonprofits receive grants — and when 

But beyond the tax benefits, DAFs shine as a values-sharing tool. 

A Place for Generations to Gather Around Giving 

Many widows and divorcees use Donor Advised Funds to involve children — and even grandchildren — in philanthropy. 

This can look like: 

• Holding family conversations about causes that matter most 

• Allowing children to research nonprofits and recommend grants 

• Teaching younger generations how to give thoughtfully and responsibly 

Instead of inheriting money without context, future generations inherit a framework for generosity. 

The result isn’t just charitable dollars leaving your estate — it can represent a living legacy of purpose. 

Giving During Your Lifetime Is About More Than Tax Savings 

Yes, lifetime giving can reduce the size of your estate. Yes, it can be tax-efficient. But for many women navigating life after loss or divorce find that giving provides clarity around their values and goals. 

Giving while you’re living allows you to: 

• Align money with your values 

• Support people and causes when it matters most 

• Create shared meaning across generations 

It can transform wealth from something you leave behind into something you intentionally use to reflect who you are. 

This material is for informational purposes only and is not intended as tax, legal, or accounting advice. Clients should consult their own tax or legal professionals regarding their specific situation. Investing and charitable giving strategies involve risks, and outcomes are not guaranteed. Gift and estate tax rules are subject to change. The annual exclusion amount referenced is based on currently available information and may be adjusted by the IRS.