Charitable giving is one of the most rewarding aspects of building wealth—but without proper planning, you may leave significant tax benefits on the table. At The Goodson Firm P.C., we help individuals and families across Texas structure their charitable contributions to reduce tax liability while amplifying their philanthropic impact.
Whether you’re planning to donate substantial assets, establish a charitable legacy, or support multiple causes over time, charitable planning deserves the same careful attention you give to the rest of your estate. Our founder, Leigh Hunt Goodson, works directly with clients to design giving strategies aligned with their values, financial goals, and family legacy.
Charitable planning isn’t about giving less—it’s about giving smarter. When structured correctly, charitable contributions can reduce your estate and income taxes, allow you to give larger gifts than you might otherwise afford, and create a lasting philanthropic legacy.
The complexity lies in choosing the right vehicle for your situation. A simple cash donation works for some donors, but those with significant assets often benefit from more sophisticated structures like charitable remainder trusts, charitable lead trusts, donor-advised funds, or gifts of appreciated securities. Each approach has different tax implications, timeframes, and levels of control.
Wealth planning solutions tailored to your life, family, and goals.
Create a trust that provides you (or your beneficiaries) with steady income for a set period, after which remaining assets go to charity. You receive an immediate tax deduction and can donate appreciated assets without triggering capital gains taxes.
These trusts work in reverse: charity receives income payments first, then the remaining assets pass to your family. CLTs are particularly valuable for reducing estate and gift taxes while supporting charitable causes during your lifetime.
Open a charitable investment account where you receive an immediate tax deduction, but direct grants to charities over time—on your schedule. This approach provides maximum flexibility and is ideal if you want to bunch charitable deductions in high-income years.
Rather than selling appreciated stock and paying capital gains tax, donate the securities directly to charity. You avoid the tax entirely and receive a charitable deduction for the full market value—often a far more efficient approach than cash gifts.
Before discussing tax strategies, we talk about your actual goals. Do you want to give during your lifetime, after your death, or both? Are you passionate about specific charities or causes? How much do you envision giving over your lifetime? Your values drive the plan—not the other way around.
We review your assets, income, tax situation, and estate plan. This analysis shows us which charitable giving vehicles would be most efficient for your circumstances and reveals opportunities you might have missed.
Together, we walk through different charitable planning approaches, discussing the tax implications, administrative requirements, timing, and control each offers. We show you the math — how much you’d save in taxes with each structure — so your decision is informed and confident. We coordinate with your CPA or financial advisor to ensure everything works together.
Once you’ve decided on your approach, we draft necessary documents (trusts, deeds, fund agreements) with precision. We handle the administrative details and ensure everything’s in place for the plan to work as designed.
After implementation, we’re available to answer questions, adjust the plan if your goals shift, and coordinate with your other advisors as your financial situation and philanthropic priorities evolve.
Charitable planning, when done well, is one of the most powerful tools available to Texas families — reducing your tax burden while creating a lasting impact on the causes that matter most to you. At The Goodson Firm P.C., Leigh Hunt Goodson works directly with you to design a giving strategy that reflects your values, integrates with your broader estate plan, and delivers real financial benefits. Schedule a confidential consultation today to explore your options.
Ms. Leigh Goodson was fabulous in giving me advice for my father's situation. She was a wealth of knowledge and recommendations. We will be using her for further estate planning.
Leigh prepared estate documents for myself and my husband, and she did a fantastic job. Everyone at her office was friendly and easy to work with. The process was quick and easy, and we feel so much better knowing our affairs are in order. If anyone needs any estate planning help, I would 100% recommend Leigh and her office!
I knew from my experience working with attorneys for over 30 years that with a blended family my husband and I needed professional estate planning. Ms. Goodson provided us with excellent options and did a very thorough explanation of the pros and cons of each of them. She offered non-judgmental opinions and legal information about the equitable division of our blended families small estate. We chose to go with the more expensive trust option because it would be a simpler and less expensive probate for our children who almost all live out of state. She and her assistant made extra efforts to accommodate our schedule and the entire process was quickly completed. We highly recommend The Goodson Firm. P.C. for your estate planning and probate legal services.
Leigh Goodson is a professional attorney. She is available to clients and is responsive in urgent and standard matters. Her expertise has been very helpful. Highly recommend, The Goodson Firm.
Leigh Goodson is the attorney I trust to take care of my clients, friends, and family. She knows the law and works with her clients to make sure their priorities are addressed appropriately.
The right time to protect your legacy is before you need to. Schedule a confidential consultation and take the first step toward protecting everything you have built and the people who matter most.
Locations in Tyler, Dallas, Plano, & Bee Cave, Texas
