Schwab Charitable

Related questions

Have questions about Schwab Charitable's donor-advised fund account? Here are responses to some of the most common questions we hear. If you have a question about your specific situation that is not answered here, please call Schwab Charitable at 800-746-6216 or visit the Schwab Charitable website.

How do I open a donor-advised fund account?

You can complete a Schwab Charitable account application online. Call Schwab Charitable at 800-746-6216 for assistance. Once the account is established, fund it with an initial irrevocable, tax-deductible (if you itemize) contribution, recommend investments for the assets, and, recommend grants of $50 or more to any public charity.

Is Schwab Charitable part of Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.?

Schwab Charitable Fund is a separate entity from The Charles Schwab Corporation and its affiliates. However, Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. and its affiliates provide certain investment management, administrative, and recordkeeping services to Schwab Charitable.

What role can my investment manager have?

If your charitable account balance is $250,000 or more, you may take advantage of a professionally managed account, which allows you to recommend an investment manager to actively manage the assets of the account and invest in a broad range of securities, including individual stocks, bonds, and mutual funds. For more details, see Investment Options or call Schwab Charitable at 800-746-6216.

What types of assets can I contribute?

You can contribute cash and publicly traded securities, including stocks, most mutual fund shares, and bonds. Schwab Charitable also accepts non-cash assets such as IPO stock, restricted stock, private business interests, real estate and private equity. By contributing non-cash assets to a charity, including a donor-advised fund, individuals generally do not pay capital gains tax on the sale of assets that have been held for more than one year. This can increase the amount available for charity by up to 20% compared to selling the assets and donating the proceeds. Cash contributions must be made in U.S. dollars and delivered by check or wire only. Contribution forms are available online. For complete details, see Contribution Options or call Schwab Charitable at 800-746-6216.

Do you have a list of approved charities?

Grants can be made to any IRS-approved public charity. Approved organizations are U.S.-based organizations that qualify as tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and are public charities as defined by Section 509(a) of the Code. You can research over one million IRS-approved public charities on schwabcharitable.org using the Explore Charities page. Note: All grant recommendations are subject to approval by Schwab Charitable.