Giving to charitable causes through an IRA Qualified Charitable Donation (QCD) is an excellent way for donors over the age of 70 1/2 to avoid taxes, but for some directly donating appreciated assets may be even better.

If you are in the fortunate position of having taxable appreciated assets you may want to re-think how you give. Giving appreciated assets allows donors the opportunity to obtain a charitable deduction and also avoid capital gains taxes.

Talk to your adviser to determine the rules to follow and to find out which method works best for your unique situation.