Your Money, Your Legacy: How Donor Advised Funds Work

In this episode, Lawrence Greenberg continues the three-part series on charitable giving in Canada with Part Two: Donor Advised Funds. He’s joined by special guest Linda Argalji, tax accountant and philanthropy advisor at the Jewish Community Foundation (JCF).

Linda walks through what a donor advised fund (DAF) is, how it compares to a private foundation, and why this strategy isn’t just for the ultra-wealthy. They cover the mechanics of contributing to a DAF, how investment options work, and the key differences in administration, privacy, disbursement flexibility, and legacy planning between a DAF and a private foundation.

Lawrence and Linda also discuss real-world planning scenarios — from front-loading donations during a high-income or wealth-creation year, to setting up a fund that honors a donor’s wishes for generations to come.

A must-listen for anyone curious about more sophisticated, flexible ways to structure their charitable giving.

Happy listening!

Donor Advised Funds, Tax Strategy, and Charitable Legacy

• Introduction to Linda Argalji and her path into philanthropy (00:29)
• Overview of the Jewish Community Foundation (JCF) (02:52)
• How donors give to charities through a DAF (04:14)
• Investment options within a donor advised fund (05:36)
• Why Canadians are turning to DAFs — and debunking the “only for the ultra-wealthy” myth (07:11)
• DAF vs. private foundation: who owns the assets? (08:53)
• Administrative burden: private foundation vs. public foundation fund (10:10)
• Disbursement quotas and flexibility in timing your giving (11:11)
• Types of assets you can contribute (cash, securities, real estate, insurance, private shares) (12:55)
• Privacy differences between private foundations and DAFs (13:41)
• Legacy planning and naming a fund (14:48)
• The four steps of how a DAF works, from contribution to grant (17:03)
• Strategic timing: front-loading donations around a high-income or liquidity event (19:25)
• Real client example: using a DAF after a real estate sale (22:00)
• What happens to a DAF when the donor passes away (23:11)
• Debate: are donor advised funds delaying giving to charities? (25:45)
• Key takeaways and closing thoughts (27:47)

Mentioned in this episode:

• Linda Argalji, tax accountant and philanthropy advisor
• Jewish Community Foundation (JCF).

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