For JoAnn Perez, charitable giving is not an afterthought in estate planning. It is a starting point.
“I view charitable giving as a core pillar of a comprehensive estate plan,” she explains. “I introduce the concept during the very first meeting with a client.” By asking intentional questions about what matters most, JoAnn helps clients design plans that reflect both their financial goals and the legacy they want to leave in the community.
When clients face significant transitions, such as the sale of a business, timing and strategy become critical. JoAnn likes to partner with the Community Foundation of Greater Huntsville to navigate these complex moments. She often utilizes Donor Advised Funds for clients who need an immediate tax deduction but are not yet ready to select specific charities.
In one recent case, a client selling a business needed to make a significant charitable contribution within a tight window. “In these moments, timing is critical,” she says. “Clients may need to make a charitable contribution quickly to maximize tax benefits, but they aren’t yet ready to decide which organizations they want to support.”
By working with the Community Foundation to establish a Donor Advised Fund, JoAnn adds, “It gave them the breathing room they needed to pivot from the urgency of the transaction to the intentionality of their long-term philanthropic goals.”
JoAnn’s own involvement as a Community Foundation Ambassador and participant in the Women’s Philanthropy Society has strengthened her professional practice. Through these roles, she has gained deeper insight into Huntsville’s nonprofit landscape, which has helped her to connect clients with high-impact local organizations, including those they may not have previously considered.
For fellow professional advisors, her advice is straightforward: integrate charitable giving into your process from day one.
“Don’t be afraid to ask what causes make your clients come alive,” she says. “When you focus on their passions first, you can help create a tailored charitable giving plan that supports aligned local organizations.”
For JoAnn Perez and her clients, philanthropy isn’t just about giving. It’s about making more possible, both today and for generations to come.
