Last week marked the final day of our annual pie order for clients — one of our favorite traditions during this season of giving. Every year, we look forward to catching up with so many of you as you stop by to pick up your pies, and we love hearing the stories from those being delivered to family and friends across the country. It’s always such a joy to see how this small gesture brings smiles and sparks connection, whether near or far.

This year was, in fact, a record for the number of pies ordered or donations in lieu of a pie requested.

As we celebrate this time of gratitude and generosity, it’s also a great reminder that giving can take many forms — from sharing dessert with loved ones to supporting causes close to your heart. In this week’s episode of The Simply Retirement Podcast, I share seven smart giving strategies to help you make the most of your generosity before year-end — for both your family and your financial plan.

7 Smart Giving Strategies for Family and Charities Before Year-End

💬 From Episode 78:

“Many of the women we work with are generous by nature — the real impact they want is what they can deliver to their families and the organizations they care about.” - Eric Blake

The holiday season often inspires generosity, but how you give can make a big difference for both your loved ones and your finances.

In this episode, I explore seven actionable gifting strategies you can use before the year ends to support your children, grandchildren, and favorite charities while also being mindful of tax planning opportunities. I walk through practical examples to help you give with purpose and joy.

Tune in to learn:

• The $19,000 annual gift exclusion and how it works with lifetime estate tax limits
• Gifting appreciated assets like stocks to family or charities to reduce taxes
• Paying tuition and medical bills directly to providers without gift tax concerns
• Leveraging 529 accounts, custodial accounts, and new temporary Trump accounts
• Charitable giving strategies, including qualified charitable distributions and donor-advised funds
• And more!

You can catch every episode of The Simply Retirement Podcast on the website - or on your favorite podcast app.

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Related Links & Resources

• 👉 Get Your Complimentary Retirement & Tax Analysis​
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• 📄 Read
  • ​Episode 78 Transcript​
• 🎧 Related Episodes
  • ​#52 - I Have Inherited an IRA—Now What? 5 Steps to Avoid Costly Mistakes​
  • ​#61 - The Science of Happier Spending: Behavioral Finance Insights with Brendan Frazier​
  • ​#65 - How the New Tax Law Could Impact Your Retirement​
  • ​#75 - Year-End Tax Planning Checklist for 2025 ​
• 👩‍👩‍👧‍👦 Connect & Participate
  • ​Join the Simply Retirement Community Facebook Group​
  • ​Ask a Question or Suggest a Topic for the Podcast​
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This Week's Free Retirement Resource

👉​ ​What Issues Should I Consider When Establishing My Charitable Giving Strategy?​

Many of your clients are charitably inclined but need help aligning their resources, priorities, and philosophy. As a financial advisor, we are uniquely positioned to counsel clients as they determine what, when, and how to give to charitable organizations. By analyzing each client’s unique situation, we can identify opportunities and model outcomes in order to optimize the impact of charitable gifts.

This checklist helps us guide our clients as they consider and implement a charitable giving strategy. It covers:

• Philanthropic motivations and goals
• Cash flow considerations
• Asset selection when funding gifts
• Charitable giving vehicles
• Tax planning and deductibility

Have more questions about retirement planning? Just hit reply to this email. I read and respond to every message. 😃

Keeping Retirement Simple,

Eric Blake, CFP®

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