Charitable Giving Strategy for HNW Families in Del Mar, CA

Tax-efficient giving strategies coordinated with your broader financial plan, not handled as a separate decision each year.

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It is complimentary, with no obligation. If we are not the right fit, we will tell you honestly.
Serving Families in Southern
California since 2015
Chad Waters is a CERTIFIED
FINANCIAL PLANNER® professional
Affiliated with LPL Financial, a Fortune
500 company; Member FINRA/SIPC

Check the background of this firm on FINRA’s BrokerCheck.

For many of the families we work with, giving is not an afterthought. It is central to what they want their wealth to accomplish. But without a strategy, that intention can be diminished by avoidable taxes and a legacy that was never written down.

Most donors give reactively. Cash or checks in response to requests, with no coordinated strategy behind it.

That reactive pattern can carry a real cost. You may be paying more in taxes on gifts than necessary, if they had been structured differently. You might be missing the opportunity to gift appreciated assets in a way that could reduce or avoid capital gains. And you could be leaving behind a charitable legacy that was never formally planned or communicated to your family.

If you are over 70 and a half with an IRA balance subject to RMDs, an uncoordinated RMD and an uncoordinated charitable gift are two separate transactions that may be worth considering together. In California, capital gains on appreciated securities are taxed as ordinary income at the state level, which can make gifting the asset directly, rather than selling it first, a conversation worth having with your CPA.

Who this tends to matter most for:

Retirees with significant IRA balances facing large RMDs who want to reduce their taxable income.

Executives or business owners with concentrated, appreciated stock positions.

Business owners planning to give a portion of the company to charity ahead of a sale.

Families who want to establish a formal philanthropic legacy.

Anyone who already gives regularly and wants to be doing it more efficiently.

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What a Proper Giving Strategy Looks Like

You give in a way that reflects your values and your broader financial plan, not simply in response to whatever request arrived most recently.

Your RMD and your charitable giving are considered together as part of a coordinated planning conversation.

Appreciated assets that are destined for charity go directly, potentially avoiding a capital gains that may not need to be triggered.

Your family understands what your giving was meant to accomplish and how to carry it forward.

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Charitable Giving Strategy at Trifecta Wealth Management

Charitable giving strategy is part of the broader financial planning conversation at Trifecta Wealth Management, not a separate discussion that happens in isolation.

We help think through how tools such as Donor-Advised Funds, Qualified Charitable Distributions, appreciated asset gifting, and charitable remainder trusts may fit into your overall plan, and we are happy to facilitate coordination with your CPA and estate attorney at your request.

That includes raising questions about how your charitable goals may connect to trust structures, beneficiary designations, and bequest provisions. These are conversations that belong alongside your tax and estate planning rather than separate from it.

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Complimentary Second Opinion

A no-obligation conversation about your current giving, your goals, and what you want your philanthropy to accomplish.

Strategy Review

We discuss whether tools such as Donor-Advised Funds, Qualified Charitable Distributions, or appreciated asset gifting may be worth exploring in the context of your broader financial plan.

Coordinated Structure

We work to help connect your giving strategy to your tax and estate planning conversations, in coordination with your CPA and attorney at your request.

Family Conversation

For families who want to involve the next generation in giving decisions, we are happy to help facilitate that conversation at your request.

Ongoing Conversation

Your giving strategy is revisited as part of the broader financial planning relationship, alongside RMDs and other tax-related planning discussions.

What We Charge

Charitable giving strategy is part of Trifecta Wealth Management's fee-based advisory relationship. Our fees are disclosed in writing before you make any decision.

Donor-Advised Fund administrative fees, trust setup costs, and attorney fees, where applicable, are separate and outside our scope.

Why Work With Trifecta Wealth Management

Built Into Your Ongoing Plan

Charitable giving strategy is part of your broader financial plan, revisited as part of the same ongoing conversation as RMDs, tax planning, and other related decisions.

We Understand the Tools

Donor-Advised Funds, Qualified Charitable Distributions, appreciated asset gifting, and charitable remainder trusts are all part of the conversation where they may be relevant to your situation.

We Coordinate With Your Team

Charitable giving strategies are implemented in coordination with your CPA and estate attorney. We are happy to help facilitate those conversations at your request.

Institutional Support When It Matters

Through our affiliation with LPL Financial, we have access to resources and support for clients with more complex philanthropic planning needs, subject to eligibility.

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What Our Clients Say

It is to my great fortune to have met Chad Waters 7 years ago! My husband and I signed up with Chad to manage our portfolio. When Chad started his new business, Trifecta Wealth Management, we were all too happy to follow him, and Heather St. Amour, Trifecta's Branch Operations Manager. We trust them for our financial management and peace of mind, and whenever I call, the phone is answered immediately or I'm called back within minutes. It's so wonderful learning from Chad's expertise if I have a question or concern, he is so knowledgeable. I have recommended Trifecta to all of my friends and family. We are extremely satisfied clients!

Mary Jo S.
Business Owner
September 2, 2026

My wife and I have worked with Chad Waters for 10 years since he knocked on my door a year before our retirement. Usually I shoo away people selling services but there was something about Chad that made me want to hear what he had to say. In our experience Chad and Heather have always had our best interests at heart. I find that they are always available. They have our absolute trust with our money for our financial plan and retirement savings. We look forward to a continued relationship with Trifecta Wealth Management, LLC.

Jere D.
Retired
August 14, 2026

Chad Waters and Heather St. Amour of Trifecta Wealth Management are a wealth of knowledge and they are always well prepared for our quarterly meetings. They are very patient with our questions and always provide knowledgeable answers. They always provide a great long-term plan and always take into account our risk tolerance. They always stay in touch and respond to our emails or phone calls in a timely manner. If my wife or I do not understand something they explain it in simple terms.

Pat H.
Business Owner
August 13, 2026

This statement is a testimonial by a client of the financial professional as of the indicated date. The client has not been paid or received any other compensation for making these statements. As a result, the client does not receive any material incentives or benefits for providing the testimonial. These views may not be representative of the views of other clients and are not indicative of future performance or success.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Qualified Charitable Distribution, and do I qualify?

If you are age 70 and a half or older, you may be able to make direct charitable contributions from your IRA up to IRS limits. A QCD may satisfy your RMD while potentially excluding the distribution from your taxable income. Your CPA can confirm whether this approach makes sense for your specific situation.

Is it better to give cash or appreciated stock?

It depends on your situation. Gifting appreciated securities directly may offer potential tax advantages compared to selling and donating the proceeds, including the possibility of avoiding capital gains on the appreciation. We are happy to work through the options alongside your CPA to help determine what may make sense for your situation.

What is a Donor-Advised Fund?

A Donor-Advised Fund allows you to make a charitable contribution, potentially receive an immediate tax deduction, and recommend grants to charities over time. It is one of the more flexible charitable giving vehicles available.

Can you help my family get involved in our giving decisions?

Yes. We are happy to help facilitate family philanthropy conversations for families who want to involve the next generation in giving decisions.

Do you provide tax advice on my charitable deductions?

No. Trifecta Wealth Management does not provide tax or legal advice. Charitable giving strategies are best implemented in coordination with your CPA and estate attorney, and we are happy to help facilitate those conversations at your request.

Are you a fiduciary?

In our fee-based advisory relationships, yes. We are required to act as a fiduciary, and as a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professional, held to a fiduciary standard under the CFP Board's Code of Ethics.

Got questions?

Apply for a Second Opinion call with our team to get all your questions answered.

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Let's talk about building a giving strategy that reflects what matters most to you.

Get a Second Opinion
It is complimentary, with no obligation. If we are not the right fit, we will tell you honestly.
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+1 858-703-6033

This information is not intended to be a substitute for specific individualized tax or legal advice. We suggest that you discuss your specific situation with a qualified tax or legal advisor.