Written by: Christine Parker, CFP®, APMA™, CRPC™, CSRIC®

Investors who hold significant positions in individual stocks face a unique challenge: while the growth potential is considerable, the risks associated with concentrated stock positions can be substantial. One way to address this challenge while supporting meaningful causes is through the tax-efficient strategy of gifting appreciated securities. This approach can help reduce concentrated risk, diversify a portfolio, and offer substantial tax benefits. Here’s how gifting appreciated securities works and how it can align with your philanthropic goals.

Understanding the Risks of Concentrated Stock Positions

What is a Concentrated Stock Position?

A concentrated stock position arises when a large portion of an investor’s portfolio is tied to a single stock. This could happen due to equity compensation, long-term investments in a successful company, or inheritance. While the growth potential is enticing, it exposes investors to significant risk.
Key Risks of Concentration:

• Market Volatility: A downturn in a company’s stock price can significantly reduce an investor’s total wealth.
• Sector-Specific Risk: Heavy concentration in one industry increases exposure to risks specific to that sector, such as regulatory changes or technological disruptions.
• Limited Liquidity: Selling appreciated stock can trigger high capital gains taxes, which may deter investors from diversifying.

Gifting Appreciated Securities: A Dual Benefit Strategy

Gifting appreciated securities offers a twofold advantage: it allows diversification while supporting charitable causes. This strategy helps reduce concentrated risk in your portfolio while positively impacting the community.

Tax Benefits of Donating Appreciated Securities:

1. Avoid Capital Gains Taxes: Donating appreciated stock directly to a qualified charity avoids realizing the long-term capital gains on that stock, which can result in significant tax savings.
2. Charitable Deduction: If you itemize deductions, you may be able to deduct the stock’s fair market value, subject to IRS limits. This reduces your taxable income and provides a financial benefit.

Philanthropy and Impact:

Gifting appreciated securities lets you align your financial resources with personal values or corporate social responsibility goals. It also enables you to make a lasting contribution to causes that matter to you. Research has shown donors are likelier to contribute to causes that resonate personally, perceiving a more substantial alignment between their values and the organization’s mission (Halvorsen, Lynch, Brown, & McTernan, 2024).

Estate and Legacy Planning:

Incorporating stock donations into your estate plan can help reduce the size of your taxable estate, offering tax savings while leaving a generous legacy.

Eligible Charitable Giving Vehicles

There are several ways to gift appreciated securities to qualified organizations, each with advantages.

Direct Gifting to Qualified Charities:

Donating stock directly to a 501(c)(3) organization ensures that the charity benefits immediately. Before donating, confirm the nonprofit status using platforms like Charity Navigator, GuideStar, or the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search to verify its credibility.

Donor-Advised Funds (DAFs):

DAFs offer flexibility and control over charitable giving. By transferring appreciated securities to a DAF, you avoid paying long-term capital gains, receive an immediate tax deduction, and can direct grants to multiple charities over time.

Charitable Remainder Trusts (CRTs):

CRTs combine philanthropy with financial benefits. You can receive income from the trust for a specified period while reducing your concentrated stock position. Additionally, CRTs provide tax savings through charitable deductions and deferring capital gains taxes on sales within the trust.

Strategic Considerations for Stock Donations

Timing for Maximum Benefit:

Consider donating stocks with the highest unrealized gains to maximize tax savings and effectively diversify your portfolio. This approach ensures that you minimize taxable income while achieving your diversification goals.

Integration with Overall Financial Plan:

Stock donation strategies should seamlessly fit into your broader financial and philanthropic strategy. Whether planning for retirement, building your legacy, or supporting charitable causes, ensure that your donations complement your long-term needs and objectives.

Collaboration with Advisors:

Working with financial, tax, and legal advisors is crucial to optimizing the benefits of gifting appreciated securities. They can help ensure compliance, maximize tax advantages, and integrate your gifting strategy with your financial plan.

Steps to Execute a Stock-Gifting Strategy

1. Evaluate Your Stock Holdings:Review your portfolio to identify over-concentrated positions. Assess the tax implications of gifting appreciated securities.
2. Choose Charitable Organizations or Vehicles: Select charities or charitable vehicles (like DAFs or CRTs) that align with your values and goals.
3. Collaborate with Advisors: Work with your financial advisor to plan and execute the transfer of appreciated stock to the chosen charitable entities.
4. Document the Gift: Ensure all stock transfers are documented adequately for tax reporting and compliance purposes.

Conclusion

Gifting appreciated securities is a smart strategy for managing concentrated stock risk,
achieving tax efficiency, and supporting causes that align with your values. It’s an
effective way to diversify your portfolio while making a meaningful impact on your
community. As always, consult with your financial, tax, and legal advisors to ensure your
charitable giving strategy is optimized for your financial goals and the charitable
missions you support.

References:

Halvorsen, C. J., Lynch, J., Brown, S., & McTernan, M. L. (2024). Approaches to Charitable Giving and Perceptions of Organizational Effectiveness Among Midlevel Donors. Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 53(4), 926-947. Retrieved on January 23, 2025, from https://doi.org/10.1177/08997640231196888

Christine Parker, CFP®, APMA™, CRPC™, CSRIC® is the founder of Parker Financial, LLC. The firm provides Guardian Wealth Care services to help clients craft financial plans for a balanced life: career, care, and well-being. Christine formerly served on the Sagepoint Senior Services Foundation Board. Please note that not all investments or strategies are suitable for every individual. The information provided here is for general educational purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial, or tax advice. Please consult a qualified professional for personalized advice tailored to your specific circumstances. Parker Financial, LLC is a Maryland registered investment adviser
(RIA). 9300 Endowment Place, La Plata, MD 20646. www.pfadvisers.com ©2025 Proprietary. All Rights Reserved. Date: 1/23/2025

As our loved ones age, the threat of diseases like Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia looms large. With over 6 million adults affected by Alzheimer’s disease in the U.S., it’s a concern that many families face. While these conditions bring cognitive and functional challenges, there are ways to support seniors in maintaining their independence and dignity. 

Early Detection and Proactive Care 

Early detection of cognitive decline is crucial. Regular check-ups and discussions about memory concerns with healthcare providers can lead to early diagnosis and better care planning. Utilizing services like the Medical Annual Wellness Visit can help in assessing cognitive impairment and managing other chronic conditions. 

Embracing a Healthy Lifestyle 

Research shows that physical exercise, not smoking and managing other cardiovascular risks can lower the likelihood of cognitive decline. Encouraging seniors to stay active, eat a balanced diet and engage in mental exercises can significantly contribute to maintaining their cognitive health. 

Creating a Safe and Supportive Environment 

Adapting the living environment to suit the needs of seniors with cognitive challenges is vital. This includes safety modifications in the home to prevent falls, using reminders and labels for orientation and simplifying daily tasks to enhance their ability to perform them independently. 

Strengthening Social Connections 

Social engagement is an integral part of healthy aging. Encourage seniors to participate in community activities, join clubs or groups and maintain regular contact with family and friends. This social interaction can help in slowing cognitive decline and improving overall well-being. 

Supporting Caregivers

Caregivers play a critical role in the lives of seniors with dementia. Programs like the Resources for Enhancing Alzheimer’s Caregiver Health (REACH) provide valuable support and education for caregivers. Caregiver health directly impacts the quality of care they can provide, making their well-being a priority. 

While the journey with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia is challenging, maintaining a senior’s independence as much as possible is crucial for their dignity and quality of life. By adopting these strategies, families and caregivers can help their loved ones navigate this path with grace and support.

Christine Parker, CFP®, Chartered SRI Counselor sm, is Managing Director of Parker Financial, LLC; an Independent Fee Only Investment Advisor in the state of Maryland.  Christine currently serves as a member of the Sagepoint Senior Services Foundation Board of Officers and Directors. 

It is very possible for seniors aged 60 and older to experience irreversible economic loss and great psychological distress as a result of elder abuse and elder fraud.  

The term elder abuse refers to the mistreatment of seniors who are vulnerable, especially those who are physically and mentally handicapped, including abuse, neglect, or financial abuse, often perpetrated by family members, and other trusted persons.  Elder fraud, on the other hand, is generally committed by strangers – criminals who use various schemes to prey on the elderly.

Fraud victimization among older adults is influenced by these 7 major factors: 

• Cognitive decline
• Heighten emotions in decision making
• Overly trusting nature
• Psychological vulnerability
• Social isolation
• Risk-taking and
• Lack of knowledge and information regarding fraud 

Researchers at the Stanford Center on Longevity working in collaboration with researchers from the FINRA Investor Education Foundation and the AARP Fraud Watch Network “found that inducing emotions such as excitement and anger in older adults increased their intention to buy falsely advertised items.”

The Office of Victims of Crimes at the Department of Justice seeks to raise public awareness of the National Elder Fraud Hotline and encourage victims of fraud to reach out and report.

There are different types of fraud schemes that affect different generations.  Elderly adults and their loved ones and caregivers need information about perpetrators of elder fraud schemes and knowledge about how to prevent it and report it.  The main goal of elder fraud is to exploit older adults financially.   

Reported Incidents of Elder Fraud and Scams

Using the FTC’s Consumer Sentinel Network database, which tracks reports of fraud, schemes, financial losses, contact methods, payment methods, and other pertinent information, we can track elder fraud trends. We can also know schemes used to perpetrate elder fraud.

Elder fraud is a serious and growing threat. According to the FTC, total reported losses have been increasing each year since 2020 as shown in the chart below:

For older adults aged 60-69, 70-79 and 80 and older, the median financial loss reported so far in 2023 is $500, $800 and $1,393.     

In this time period, older adults experienced the following fraudulent schemes most frequently: business imposters, government imposters, tech support scams, online shopping, and prizes, sweepstakes, and lotteries. Online shopping, tech support scams, and sweepstakes and lotteries scams reported had higher occurrences of financial loss.

The most commonly reported payment method used by older adults who were scammed is the credit card, followed by debit cards, gift cards, reloadable cards, payments apps, bank transfers, crypto-currencies, wire transfers, and money orders. Scammers contact older adults using social media (Facebook, Instagram, etc.), websites or apps, phone calls, online ads or pop-ups, email, text, email and mail.

Investment Scams

According to FTC data, older seniors lost more money to investment schemes than to any other category in 2022 and 2023.  From $1.8 billion in 2021, investment scam losses for all consumers doubled to $3.8 billion in 2022. For seniors aged 60-69, 70-79, and 80 and over, the median financial loss reported so far in 2023 is $12,841, $13,100, and $11,100, respectively. 

Protecting financial accounts    

In order to help protect your assets, banks, credit unions, and brokerage firms encourage you to designate a “Trusted Contact.”  If the institution suspects financial exploitation or has difficulty contacting the owner, they can reach out to this person in an emergency situation to protect your assets.

Consider this and other security features offered by your financial institutions to include: reset passwords, enroll in advanced authentication (set up two-factor authentication,) and enroll in alert notification for any transactions as soon as they occur (set up security alerts). 

Resource

In their website, www.aging.maryland.gov, the Maryland Department of Aging provides information about elder scams and fraud, as well as how to report it.

The information provided here is for general informational purposes only and should not be considered an individualized recommendation or personalized investment advice.