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1-888-440-4233

Opportunity for Financial Institutions

The largest transfer of wealth in U.S. history is expected to create significant challenges for your clients as assets will be freed up from the sale highly appreciated investments, transfer of family businesses, and real estate. If not properly advised, many will feel the bite of taxes and loss of influence of these meaningful assets. Your clients may be seeking ways to lower their tax liability, give more to charity, and increase their philanthropic funds for future grant-making.

There are 75 million aging babyboomers, the oldest of which are just entering their retirement and prime giving years. Americans donate hundreds of billions of dollars to charities every year. Offering a Donor Advised Fund solution can help retain assets that might otherwise be liquidated due to tax and estate planning decisions, or that might go to another donor advised fund program.

American Endowment Foundation provides financial institutions with a complete, and flexible donor advised fund solution. 

What makes AEF unique?
AEF was designed from the beginning as the independent choice. We believe that true independence improves the reliability and enhances the flexibility of the Donor Advised Fund program, thereby contributing to its usefulness and objectivity.

• AEF is not affiliated with financial institutions, for-profit company, or charity.
• AEF accrues no benefit from brokerage services, commissions, finder fees, or product sales.
• AEF does not sell financial products or services.
• AEF does not provide financial, tax, or legal advice.

AEF delivers administrative, operational, grant management, legal and technological expertise to help your financial institution provide donor advised fund solutions to your clients. AEF does not charge for this service. Fund management fees are charged directly to each respective Fund.

Key advantages of the AEF solution:

• AEF is a nationally recognized leader in managing donor advised funds.
• Speed to market – AEF’s solution is available immediately for the coming giving season. Call us, you might discover that we already work with your advisors.
• AEF’s solution is free.
• Your firm stays focused on its core competencies.
• Experience - The AEF Donor Advised Fund has worked with investment professionals since 1993.  We have extensive experience in providing these services to most of the nation's financial institutions. 
  

  AEF has investment accounts with over a hundred institutions throughout the country, including:

  • A.G. Edwards
  • American Funds
  • Bank of America
  • Cambridge Investment Research
  • Commerce Trust Co.
  • Fidelity Investments
  • Financial Network Investment Corp.
  • Lehman Brothers
  • Lockwood
  • LPL Financial Services
  • Manning & Napier
  • Merrill Lynch
  • Piper Jaffrey
  • Raymond James
  • RBC Dain Rauscher
  • Schwab
  • SEI Investments
  • Smith Barney
  • TD Ameritrade
  • Thomas Weisel Partners
  • UBS Financial
  • Wachovia Securities
  • Wells Fargo Investments
  • William Blair & Co.
  
  
  The Bank of New York Company, Inc.’s Pershing Unit to Provide Customers with Access to Donor-Advised Funds through AEF
  
  
• AEF is a uniquely independent – a neutral partner.
• AEF works with your platform.

Benefits

• Appeal to higher-net-worth clients
  Attract and retain clients seeking philanthropic and wealth management services.
• Retain assets
  Retain assets that might otherwise be liquidated due to tax and estate planning decisions, or might go to another donor advised fund program.
• Acquire new clients and assets
  Attract new assets from your client base and other institutions.
• Convert assets
  Convert highly appreciated illiquid assets (closely held stock, real estate, etc. ) to managed assets.
• Long term custody
  Build a long-term, potentially multi-generational, relationships with clients and their family.

Independence gives the flexibility your clients are looking for
We provide donors and advisors uniquely flexible ways to manage their charitable giving:

• Investment management:
  Donors may recommend an independent investment advisor to manage the assets in their Donor Advised Funds on a brokerage or managed account basis.
• Contributions:
  AEF can accept and hold a wide array of assets.
• Investments:
  AEF's unique independence provides greater flexibility in investment options.
• AEF can be used from your preferred investment platforms.
• National:
  Your donors can expand their grant recommendations to help charities throughout the country, in addition to their local communities.

Administrative expertise
AEF takes care of all the administrative burdens enabling you to provide new and existing clients with a flexible vehicle for charitable giving, and tax and estate planning:

• Transaction processing and disbursement of contributions and grants.
• Complete accounting and reconcilement procedures for all Funds.
• Preparation and filing of federal and state regulatory documents.
• Toll-free customer service support and access to philanthropic experts.

Secure, State-of-the-Art Technology
AEF systems are proven and scalable.
View account balances, transactions, investment allocation and grants.

• Access to an online database of more than 1 million charities.
• Schedule recurring grants and determine level of recognition for each grant.
• Manage and update succession planning.

Learn More
Find out how AEF can provide a complete turnkey solution for your firm. To schedule an appointment, conference call, or to receive more information on our donor advised fund services, please contact John Tobin, Executive Vice President, toll-free at 888-440-4233 or johntobin(at)aefonline.org.