Giving Together: Turning Thanksgiving Into a Family Tradition of Generosity
Robert Olsen, AIF®, CLTC® · October 28, 2026
This Thanksgiving, the most meaningful thing passed around your table may be a conversation about what your family cares about, and why.
Many of our clients give to support causes they love. Over time, they find giving does more. It gives grandparents, parents, and children a way to talk about values, decide together, and build a tradition. With generations in one room and year-end planning underway, the holidays are a natural place to start.
Why it pays to start young
Children learn generosity best when someone talks with them about it. A Women's Philanthropy Institute study that followed 903 children ages 8 to 19 found that those whose parents talked with them about giving were 20% more likely to give than those whose parents did not. Parents who gave but didn't talk about it had no significant effect on their children's giving. (Women Give 2013)
In a 2023 Fidelity Charitable survey, 81% of parents who give said their children under 18 took part in a charitable activity in the past year. (Fidelity Charitable, 2023)
We see this in our own client families. Invite young children to choose a charity, and they take the job seriously, and many want to do it again the next year. They often pick animals: a local SPCA or humane society, a wildlife rescue center that cares for injured birds and turtles, or an organization that trains guide dogs. Kids understand the need right away; they can often visit, and the impact feels real.
The grandparent and grandchild QCD
For grandparents aged 70½ or older, a qualified charitable distribution (QCD) transfers funds directly from an IRA to a qualified charity. The amount is excluded from taxable income and, once you reach RMD age, can count toward your required minimum distribution. The 2026 limit is $111,000 per IRA owner. (Fidelity; NH Charitable Foundation)
The grandparent sets the amount. The grandchild helps choose where it goes:
- Set a budget. Decide how much of this year's QCD the grandchild gets to direct.
- Research together. Look at two or three organizations and talk about who each one helps. Older kids can confirm 501(c)(3) status with the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search.
- Make it official. We'll request the QCD from your IRA custodian, with payment made directly to the charity. Let your grandchild write the note that goes with it.
A few rules to know
- The money must go straight from your IRA custodian to the charity. A check made out to you doesn't qualify.
- QCDs can't go to donor-advised funds, private foundations, or supporting organizations.
- You can't also take a charitable deduction for the same dollars, and you can't receive anything in return, such as event tickets.
- Keep the charity's written acknowledgment and let your CPA know about the QCD so it's reported correctly on your return.
- The deadline is December 31. Please reach out by early December, so there's time to process the request.
Start the conversation this Thanksgiving
Generosity rarely starts with a tax strategy. It starts with a simple question at the table: what do we care about, and who do we want to help? The research and our own client families point the same way. When kids are part of that conversation, giving becomes something they own and want to repeat.
A QCD is one easy way to give the conversation real weight. If you are 70½ or older, it lets a grandchild direct real dollars to a cause they chose while counting toward your RMD. If you aren't QCD-eligible yet, the same family conversation works just as well with cash gifts, appreciated stock, or a donor-advised fund, and we're happy to help you figure out which one fits.
If you'd like to make a QCD this year, please reach out by early December. As always, we'll coordinate with your CPA so the gift is reported correctly.
From our families to yours, Happy Thanksgiving!
This article is for educational purposes only and is not tax or legal advice. Please consult your CPA or tax professional about your specific situation.
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Questions about your own plan?
Talk to the Olsen & Little team