Individual
One person — property, retirement accounts, or minor children to plan for.
Typically Includes
- Revocable living trust
- Will, POA & healthcare directive
- Guardian nominations for children
- Beneficiary alignment on every account
Charitable TrustGive to a Cause You Love, Without Giving Up Your Income.
A charitable trust lets you direct part of your estate to a cause you care about — often while still receiving income for life, deferring capital gains tax, and shrinking your taxable estate.
Deborah Smiley is a Missouri estate attorney and a CFP® — a Certified Financial Planner — so yours is structured around your real tax picture, not a generic form.
Free 30-minute consultationNo obligation
30 Years
Practicing law
11 Years
In wealth management, alongside her law practice
CFP®
Certified Financial Planner
AEP®
Accredited Estate Planner
What it does
What a Charitable Trust Actually Does
A charitable trust directs part of your estate to a cause you choose — structured so you, your family, and the charity can all benefit.
A charitable remainder trust pays you or a beneficiary income for a term of years or for life, before the remainder passes to charity.
You get an income tax deduction based on the present value of what eventually goes to charity.
Fund it with appreciated stock or real estate, and the trust — not you — sells the asset, deferring the gain.
Assets placed in the trust are generally removed from your estate for estate tax purposes.
Direct funds to a specific charity, or use a donor-advised structure for more flexibility over time.
Life insurance held in a separate trust can replace the value given to charity, so your heirs aren't shortchanged.
Deborah Smiley is a Missouri estate attorney and a CFP® — a Certified Financial Planner — so yours is structured around your real tax picture, not a generic form.
What it doesn't do
What a Charitable Trust Doesn't Do
Said plainly, so you know what else to plan for.
Most charitable trusts are irrevocable. Once it's funded, the commitment to the charity is permanent.
A charitable trust addresses one part of your estate. A will still names guardians and directs everything else.
Learn about Wills →Unless it's paired with a wealth replacement trust, what goes to charity doesn't go to your family.
Not sure how this applies to your situation?
Call 636-214-0546What we watch for
Common Mistakes We Watch For
Most charitable trusts fall short of their tax and giving goals for reasons that have nothing to do with the charity chosen. Here's what we check for, every time.
Families give to charity and don't realize their heirs are getting less as a result. We help you decide if a wealth replacement trust makes sense for you.
Funding with the wrong type of asset can reduce the tax benefit you were counting on. We review what you own before you fund it.
Named charities merge, dissolve, or change their mission over time. We build a contingency into every trust from the start.
Pricing
How Your Charitable Trust Is Priced
A charitable trust is rarely priced on its own. Most plans are a flat fee, set before you commit to anything, that covers it alongside whatever else you need. What changes the number is complexity — whether you're planning alone, as a couple, or across multiple assets and entities.
Couple
Two people — one coordinated plan instead of two that may conflict.
Typically Includes
- Joint or mirror living trusts
- POA & healthcare directive for each
- Marital trust for the surviving spouse
- A clear roadmap for the first death
Complex or High Net Worth
Multiple assets, entities, or a business — coordinated with your CPA and other advisors.
Typically Includes
- Charitable trust, with wealth replacement
- Irrevocable & tax-minimizing trusts
- Business succession & family entities
- Coordinated with your CPA & advisors
Get an exact number for your situation — the first call is free.
Call 636-214-0546The process
How Your Charitable Trust Gets Built
What you own, what you want to give, and what income you need — in one real meeting.
1
We map your giving goals and your assets
What you own, what you want to give, and what income you need — in one real meeting.
2
We draft it
Structured as a charitable remainder or lead trust, whichever fits your goals.
3
We fund it
Assets transferred in correctly, so the tax benefit is real, not assumed.
4
We stay
Reviewed every year, so it still matches your giving goals and your tax picture.
Your attorney
Why Families Trust Deborah With This
Deborah Smiley
JD · CFP® · AEP®Deborah has practiced law in Missouri for 30 years. For 11 of those years, she also worked in wealth management — a combination that matters here too, since a charitable trust is as much a tax and financial decision as a legal one.
She's a CFP® (Certified Financial Planner) and an AEP® (Accredited Estate Planner) — credentials very few estate attorneys hold together.
30 yrsPracticing law in Missouri
11 yrsIn wealth management, alongside her law practice
CFP®Certified Financial Planner
AEP®Accredited Estate Planner
Past ChairProbate & Trust Committee, Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis
Ready to talk through your plan?
Call 636-214-0546Client Reviews
Deb has been a great partner over the years and takes great care of my referrals/clients for their planning needs.
Harvey
I met Deb and I thought I had all my estate and business planning affairs in order; then she asked me questions that made me realize I had a lot more planning to do.
Jamie
Deb and I have been collaborative partners for almost 20 years. She has taken great care of my clients.
Paul
I have known Deb for years and she has given me peace of mind with my estate planning needs.
Carol
Deb has been instrumental in helping my family with their estate planning needs. We are grateful for her.
David
Deb has been very helpful with my and my family's estate and business planning.
Kelly
When we first moved here, I didn't realize how many legal revisions and details were needed. I heard Deb speak at a luncheon and was so impressed with her legal knowledge. Deb has been very helpful with my family's estate planning. She gave us peace of mind.
Jenny
Deb, thank you so much, we really appreciate all of your work and concern.
Bob and Myra
Deb was very responsive and helpful.
Chris
Deb was so helpful and even came to our house.
Missy and Ray
Deb was very responsive, helpful and intelligent.
John and Julie
Deb has been a great partner over the years and takes great care of my referrals/clients for their planning needs.
Harvey
I met Deb and I thought I had all my estate and business planning affairs in order; then she asked me questions that made me realize I had a lot more planning to do.
Jamie
Deb and I have been collaborative partners for almost 20 years. She has taken great care of my clients.
Paul
I have known Deb for years and she has given me peace of mind with my estate planning needs.
Carol
Deb has been instrumental in helping my family with their estate planning needs. We are grateful for her.
David
Deb has been very helpful with my and my family's estate and business planning.
Kelly
When we first moved here, I didn't realize how many legal revisions and details were needed. I heard Deb speak at a luncheon and was so impressed with her legal knowledge. Deb has been very helpful with my family's estate planning. She gave us peace of mind.
Jenny
Deb, thank you so much, we really appreciate all of your work and concern.
Bob and Myra
Deb was very responsive and helpful.
Chris
Deb was so helpful and even came to our house.
Missy and Ray
Deb was very responsive, helpful and intelligent.
John and Julie
Questions
Questions
A trust that directs part of your estate to a charitable cause, often while providing you or your family a tax benefit and, in some structures, an income stream.
You transfer assets into the trust, which pays you or another beneficiary income for a set term or for life. When that term ends, the remaining assets go to the charity you named.
A charitable remainder trust pays you income first, then gives the remainder to charity. A charitable lead trust pays the charity first, then passes the remainder to your heirs — often with reduced gift or estate tax.
Yes, with a charitable remainder trust. You can receive income for a term of years or for life before the remainder passes to charity.
Most are irrevocable. That permanence is part of what makes the tax benefits available.
A separate trust, often funded with life insurance, designed to replace for your heirs the value that a charitable trust directs to charity.
It can. Depending on the structure, it may provide an income tax deduction, defer capital gains tax, and reduce your taxable estate.
It's rarely priced on its own — most plans bundle it with a will and other documents into one flat fee. Call for a free 30-minute consultation and you'll know your exact fee before you commit to anything.
Ready to Support a Cause You Care About?
Call to schedule your free 30-minute consultation with Deborah — no obligation.
Call 636-214-0546Free 30-minute consultationNo obligationReal person answers