Serving on a charity’s board of directors, finding purpose in retirement, and the latest on tax legislation
Hello from the Morton Community Foundation!
Thank you for the opportunity to work together! Even in a year like 2025, we’re honored to help philanthropy in our community celebrate big and little victories as we all work together to improve the quality of life in the community we love.
Speaking of which, we’d like to celebrate 3 new endowed funds recently launched through generous gifts from Morton area residents. Reach out if you’d like to brainstorm how you could support your favorite charity through an endowed fund at the MCF:
Kenneth D. Getz Memorial Agriculture Studies Scholarship - Each year, a $2,500 scholarship will be awarded to one graduating senior from Morton High School and one from Tremont High School. The scholarship, started by Ken’s wife, Ann, and her family, supports students pursuing a college degree in agriculture or an agriculture-related field. CLICK HERE to learn more.
Pathway Ministries Endowment Fund - The purpose of the Fund is to provide annual grants to Pathway Ministries (formerly Peoria Rescue Ministries), to be used for whatever is needed most as determined by the Pathway Ministries staff and/or Board. CLICK HERE to learn more.
RHMA Endowment Fund - This fund provides annual grants to RHMA (Rural Home Missionary Association), a nonprofit organization focused on supporting rural ministry. The grants are to be used for the organization’s greatest needs, as determined by its staff or Board of Directors. CLICK HERE to learn more.
As always, we’re happy to offer insights into trends and issues that shape the way you carry out your charitable giving priorities:
Many philanthropic individuals serve on the board of directors of a charity–and in many cases more than one! Learn about the factors you may want to consider before you say yes to a board invitation. As always, the Morton Community Foundation is here as a resource and sounding board. Read More
Finding purpose is often a top priority for retirees. Carrying out your purpose requires not only planning your time, but also thoughtfully considering how to allocate financial resources, including how you might leave a legacy. The Morton Community Foundation can help. Read More
Tax laws remain a topic of conversation, including in conversations about charitable giving. Check out the latest updates and learn how changes might impact the way you approach philanthropy. Our team is here to help! Read More
Whether you’ve established a fund at the Morton Community Foundation, given to an existing fund, or are just beginning to get involved, thank you for all you do to help charitable giving in the Morton area stay strong!
Your Morton Community Foundation Staff
Scott Witzig, Executive Director
Darcy Roecker, Administrative Manager
More than meetings: Considerations for joining a board
If you’ve served on a charity’s board of directors, you know that the role demands much more than simply showing up for meetings. Charities benefit from board members’ active engagement, strategic oversight, and a deep commitment to the organization's mission. Indeed, board members are fiduciaries who are responsible for guiding the nonprofit’s culture, ensuring sound governance, providing financial stewardship, and acting as ambassadors and advocates in the community. Beyond legal duties, they are expected to help secure resources, oversee leadership, and contribute to the charity’s long-term sustainability and impact.
If this sounds like a lot, it’s because it is! Before you make the leap to join a charity’s board, please consider reaching out to our team. The Morton Community Foundation can serve as an invaluable resource to support your decision-making process. Our professionals know a lot about local charities, including in-depth information about programs, impact, leadership, financial stability, and reputation. We’re happy to provide an impartial assessment of the charity’s governance practices, evaluate alignment with your values, and fill you in on the current needs or challenges the board is facing.
Thorough due diligence is crucial, not only to ensure that the board position would be a good fit for your skills, interests, and availability, but also to avoid potential legal pitfalls and liabilities that could stand in the way of your ability to carry out your fiduciary duties. Our team can provide a high-level review of these duties, including:
A duty of loyalty to prioritize the charity’s interests and avoid conflict;
A duty of compliance to adhere to the nonprofit's mission and legal requirements; and
A duty to “manage accounts,” which means overseeing financial stability and accountability
These duties translate into real responsibilities for strategic planning, fundraising, financial oversight, and executive evaluation.
Please reach out anytime. It is our honor to help you make a difference in the community we all love, whether that’s through charitable giving, board service, volunteering, or advocacy. The Morton Community Foundation is your home for philanthropy in all of its many forms.
Advancing your purpose: Considerations for a philanthropic retirement
If you’ve recently retired, you may still be figuring out the ideal balance of activities. If you’ve been retired for several years, you might still be trying to figure it out! Time and again, research shows us that finding purpose is an essential component of a happy and satisfying retirement. Consider the following:
A large-scale, longitudinal study used data from 13,770 older adults, finding that those with a higher sense of purpose at baseline were significantly less likely to develop unhealthy behaviors.
Other research used a nationally representative panel of over 8,000 American adults and determined that, contrary to some beliefs, retirement can actually increase a person's sense of purpose.
A cross-sectional study analyzed data from nearly 2,000 adults and found that sense of purpose was significantly associated with lower depression and anxiety in both retirees and non-retirees.
Indeed, retirement offers a unique opportunity for individuals to rediscover their sense of purpose beyond the confines of a traditional career. The Morton Community Foundation’s team and charitable tools can play a pivotal role in this journey. Here’s how:
Check in on tax planning
For starters, the Morton Community Foundation can work with you and your tax advisors to be sure your charitable giving is reflected in your estate and financial plan to achieve the impact you’re seeking. Among other issues, we’ll help you and your advisors explore whether itemizing your tax deductions in certain years might save you money. You can “bunch” charitable donations into your donor-advised fund in higher-income years to exceed the itemization threshold, then support your favorite causes steadily over time from that fund. If you’re 70 ½ or older, we’ll also help evaluate whether tax-free transfers directly from your IRA—up to $108,000 (in 2025)—to a designated, unrestricted, or field-of-interest fund at the Morton Community Foundation would be an effective planning technique for your situation.
Involve the next generation
Many retirees have more time to include family members in their personal charitable giving activities. The Morton Community Foundation team can work alongside you and your estate planning advisors to name children or grandchildren as advisors or successor advisors to your donor-advised fund and invite them to participate in site visits and educational events. This is a great way to strengthen family bonds while building a legacy of generosity across generations. Our team can help you identify ways to include children and grandchildren in site visits to favorite charities and participate in education sessions about community needs and the nonprofits that are making a difference for people who live in our region.
Build a legacy
Many people update their estate plans just after they retire. As you work with your tax and estate planning advisors, consider incorporating a gift in your estate plan that will allow your charitable legacy to live on for generations. For example, many people name a fund at the Morton Community Foundation as the beneficiary of their IRAs because of the significant tax advantages when compared with leaving the IRAs to heirs. The Morton Community Foundation is happy to work with you and your advisors to establish a special fund to receive assets from your estate, whether from an IRA or other type of estate gift. The fund can be structured as a permanent endowment to address the community’s greatest needs far into the future, or even support the Morton Community Foundation’s operations to ensure that philanthropy and stewardship continue to thrive for generations to come. You can also name your donor-advised fund as an estate beneficiary, and your children and grandchildren can serve as advisors to the fund so that they, in turn, can carry on the spirit of charitable giving in the family’s name.
We look forward to working with you throughout your retirement years to ensure that your community dreams are fulfilled through the power of charitable giving. Please reach out anytime.
Tax law changes: Time to study up?
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act was signed into law by President Trump on July 4, 2025, after the House of Representatives approved the Senate’s changes to H.R. 1, which passed the House by a narrow margin in May.
The OBBBA, with nearly 900 pages of provisions, reshapes policy across major sectors of the U.S. economy. Included in the OBBBA are several provisions that impact philanthropy. Three major takeaways are of particular importance as the community foundation helps donors, fund holders, and nonprofits–as well as attorneys, CPAs, and financial advisors–navigate charitable planning opportunities over the months and years ahead.
(Notably, the OBBBA omits several provisions that appeared in previous versions of the legislation, such as a proposed increase to the net investment income tax on private foundations.)
Insight #1: Standard deduction goes higher
What’s in the OBBBA?
The new law makes permanent the standard deduction increases under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (TCJA), increasing the standard deduction for 2025 to $15,750 for single filers and $31,500 to taxpayers who are married and filing jointly. The new law also expands the “bonus” deduction for taxpayers 65 and older through 2028.
What’s more, under the new law, individuals who itemize may take charitable deductions only to the extent the charitable deductions exceed 0.5% of adjusted gross income. Furthermore, taxpayers in the top bracket can only claim a 35 percent tax deduction for charitable gifts instead of the full 37 percent that would otherwise apply to their income tax rate. Note also that the final bill permanently extended the 60% of adjusted gross income contribution limitation for cash gifts made to certain qualifying charities.
What does this mean for charitable giving?
With even fewer taxpayers eligible to itemize, and deductions capped for high-income earners, we’re likely to see a continuation of the chilling effect on charitable giving that occurred in the wake of the TCJA.
What can you do?
If you regularly support charities, it’s important to continue to do so whether or not you’re benefiting from a tax deduction. Our community needs you, now more than ever. If you’re a nonprofit, or if you’re an attorney, CPA, or financial advisor who works with charitable clients, remember that people do not give to charity solely to secure a tax deduction. Keep in mind that many other factors motivate charitable giving, and philanthropy is an important priority for many families. (This article in the Stanford Social Innovation Review has stood the test of time.)
Insight #2: Deduction for non-itemizers
What’s in the OBBA?
The new law includes a provision, effective after 2025, allowing non-itemizers to take a charitable deduction of $1,000 for single filers and $2,000 for taxpayers who are married and filing jointly. As has been the case in the past, gifts to donor-advised funds are not eligible. Unlike a previous (but smaller) similar provision, though, this law is not set to sunset.
What does this mean for charitable giving?
After the TCJA went into effect, households that itemize deductions dropped to under 10%. Parallel to this trend, the number of U.S. adults who give to charity in any given year has dropped over the last 20 years from nearly two-thirds to less than half, according to some studies. Against this backdrop, the OBBBA’s deduction for non-itemizers has the potential to re-motivate charitable giving among a significant number of households.
What can you do?
For everyone, now is the time to take a serious look at your charitable giving plans to support the causes you care about over the years ahead, especially if you are early in your career and not yet itemizing deductions. If you’ve already established a fund or you’re working with the community foundation in another way, please reach out to learn how we can help you make the most of the new tax laws, and even get your children and grandchildren involved. If you’re a nonprofit, now is the time to attract and engage brand new donors. And if you’re an attorney, CPA, or financial advisor, make sure you talk about charitable giving with your clients who don’t itemize; a $1000 or $2000 deduction could be just the motivation they need to begin a journey of philanthropy.
Insight#3: No sunsetting estate tax exemption
What’s in the OBBA?
For affluent taxpayers updating financial and estate plans, and for the attorneys, CPAs, and wealth managers advising them, the last couple of years have been a roller coaster because of the looming possibility that the TCJA’s increase to the estate tax exemption would sunset at the end of 2025. Finally, there is clarity: Under the OBBBA, the sunset will not happen. The new law makes permanent the increase in the unified credit and generation-skipping transfer tax exemption threshold. The 2025 exemption is $13.99 million for single filers and $27.98 million married filing jointly. In 2026, these numbers increase to $15 million and $30 million respectively.
What does this mean for charitable giving?
Purely estate tax-based incentives to give to charity continue to apply only to the ultra-wealthy, likely resulting in a continuation of the taxpayer behavior triggered by the TCJA. In other words, most people will give to charity during their lifetimes and in their estates for reasons other than a tax deduction.
What can you do?
There is no guarantee that the estate tax exemption will stay high forever. As families work with their tax and estate planning advisors, many are viewing the next two years as an important window to plan ahead. The upshot of the new law is that high net-worth taxpayers now have more time to thoughtfully consider estate planning strategies, including charitable giving. For nonprofit organizations, this means continuing to focus on long-term planned giving strategies is wise.
The team at the Morton Community Foundation is honored to serve as a resource and sounding board as you build your charitable plans and pursue your philanthropic objectives for making a difference in the community. This newsletter is provided for informational purposes only. It is not intended as legal, accounting, or financial planning advice. Please consult your tax or legal advisor to learn how this information might apply to your own situation.
You are a philanthropist, making giving easy, and tax trends to watch
Hello from the Morton Community Foundation!
Lately we’ve been inspired by philanthropy in all its forms, ranging from volunteering and serving on boards to donating canned goods or giving a few dollars to a school fundraiser. Our community is full of people who care about lifting up others and improving the quality of life for everyone who lives in this wonderful place we call home.
In that spirit, we’re sharing a few updates that we hope will help you celebrate all the good you are doing and stay informed about developments that might inform your charitable giving plans.
Our 25th Anniversary Celebration Event was held on Thursday, June 19 at the Barn at Bull Run Park, an absolutely beautiful venue that we’re so proud is in our community. Thank you Morton Park District for allowing us to use the venue. We had a perfect night for the event, and it was a beautiful way to “Gather” some of the key people who have helped us “Grow” to be 25 years old…our past Board members and Board Presidents, Donors, and Fundholders. Here’s a link to the beautiful photos taken by Jacque Austin Photography. CLICK HERE
Everyone can be a philanthropist! Whether you give your time, talent, or treasure, the fact that you care about others is what matters. Whatever causes and charities you support, the Morton Community Foundation is here for you. When the time is right, please reach out to our team to learn more about all the ways we can help you get started on your own charitable giving journey. READ MORE
When individuals, families, and companies begin working with the Morton Community Foundation, one of the most common pleasant surprises is just how easy it is. From personalized service delivered by real people who have deep expertise, to a variety of simple-to-establish fund types to meet your charitable goals, the Morton Community Foundation offers a charitable giving experience that is as uncomplicated as it is rewarding. READ MORE
There’s a lot happening on the national legislative scene! The Morton Community Foundation is paying close attention to potential tax law changes that could impact charitable giving strategies. Our insights are designed to help you sort through the abundance of media coverage about proposed legislation and better understand how it might apply to your own philanthropy. READ MORE
Thank you for all you do to make our community better. We look forward to our next conversation!
Your Morton Community Foundation Staff
Scott Witzig, Executive Director
Darcy Roecker, Administrative Manager
Yes, you are a philanthropist!
“Philanthropist” is a big word that often conjures up images of the ultra-wealthy making big donations to charities, especially when people like Bill Gates have been in the headlines lately. But the definition is much broader than that. Merriam-Webster defines “philanthropist” as “one who makes an active effort to promote human welfare.”
Anyone can be a philanthropist. That’s certainly the spirit behind the Morton Community Foundation’s mission to improve quality of life in our region.
People get started in philanthropy in many ways. Here are just a few:
Personal experience with a charity, such as a receiving social services, mentoring, or health care
Volunteering for a charity, such as packing backpacks for school kids, sorting clothing at a shelter, or serving meals at a community kitchen
Attending community events
Donating canned goods for a food drive
Purchasing products that support a cause or school fundraiser
Serving in a governance or leadership role, such as on a fundraising committee or a charity’s board of directors
From there, many people take the next step to get even more involved by providing financial support, including:
Making a donation online to support disaster relief
Rounding up at check out
Responding to online or direct mail fundraisers with a credit card donation or check
Donating to a giving circle or other fund at the Morton Community Foundation
Along your journey, the Morton Community Foundation is here for you as a sounding board and a resource. Many people decide to establish a fund at the Morton Community Foundation after several years of informal giving. A donor-advised fund in particular can be useful to organize giving to multiple charities and streamline tax reporting.
For inspiration, consider the recently-released TIME100 Philanthropy 2025 which highlights a diverse array of individuals making a difference—from billionaires like Warren Buffett and MacKenzie Scott to community leaders, activists, and innovators who leverage their unique skills, platforms, and resources to drive change. This broad representation demonstrates that impactful giving is not limited to those with vast fortunes; anyone can contribute meaningfully, whether through money, time, expertise, or advocacy.
Indeed, many on the list are recognized for aligning their philanthropic efforts with personal passions or areas where they can make a unique impact, such as Dolly Parton’s focus on literacy, José Andrés’ humanitarian food relief, and Billie Jean King’s advocacy for women in sports. What’s more, the rise of collective giving, strategic philanthropy, and new collaborative funding models make it easier for people to pool resources and maximize impact.
Please reach out anytime, wherever you are along your philanthropic journey. The Morton Community Foundation is here to help everyone make a difference at every level of wealth and background.
“It’s so easy”: How the Morton Community Foundation makes giving such a pleasure
As individuals, families, and businesses get more involved in charitable giving, it’s not uncommon to become overwhelmed with all the options for supporting favorite charities. Plus, it can be hard to know what really makes a difference.
The Morton Community Foundation is here to help make charitable giving easy, flexible, and effective. Our team loves hearing comments that often reflect pleasant surprises when people get started working with the MCF to make a difference in our region’s quality of life. Here are a few examples:
“We had no idea that the paperwork to set up a fund would be so straightforward. Had we known our family fund could be set up in less than an hour, we would have done it a long time ago.”
“In this day and age of 1-800 numbers and online chatbots, it has been such a refreshing change to have a real life conversation with knowledgeable professionals. I know I can ask any question and get a fast and friendly response that goes above and beyond my expectations.”
“We feel so good about being part of a large, diverse, local, family of giving. We love knowing that we are ‘in this together’ with other donors who are supporting their own favorite causes and it all rolls up to the collective good for our community.”
These comments are heartwarming—and they are also based in reality. That’s because community foundations are designed to make charitable giving straightforward and impactful for donors by providing expert guidance, streamlined processes, and a high level of flexibility.
One of the most significant ways we simplify the giving process is by handling all administrative and tax-related details. For example, when you make a single contribution of appreciated stock to a donor-advised fund to support all your annual giving, you receive a single tax receipt for the gift, regardless of how many grants are made from that fund to various nonprofits throughout the year. This eliminates the need for multiple receipts and simplifies tax reporting, making it easier for you to document deductions and keep your records organized. Additionally, the Morton Community Foundation provides written acknowledgments for gifts and handles all necessary IRS documentation, further reducing the administrative burden on you and your family.
Another key advantage is the MCF’s ability to accept a wide range of assets as charitable gifts, including not only cash or marketable securities, but also complex assets such as real estate, closely-held business interests, mineral rights, retirement accounts, life insurance policies, and even agricultural assets. This flexibility helps ensure that you can support your favorite causes in the most tax-efficient way possible.
Whether you are considering a new gift, planning a legacy, or simply seeking advice on maximizing the impact of your philanthropy, the Morton Community Foundation provides ongoing support and local expertise. We simplify the legwork so you can focus on the joy and meaning of giving and the positive difference you are making in the lives of others. Please reach out to the Morton Community Foundation anytime!
Tax laws, what’s pending, and charitable giving solutions
Whether you’ve supported a fund at the Morton Community Foundation, established your own fund, or are considering whether to get involved, it’s important to know that the team at the MCF keeps a watchful eye on tax law changes that could impact your plans for charitable giving.
You’ve probably seen a lot of news about the so-called "Big Beautiful Bill" (H.R. 1), which passed the House of Representatives by a narrow 215-214 vote on May 22, 2025. The bill now heads to the Senate, where it’s expected to undergo significant changes before anything becomes final. The main point to keep in mind is that nothing is set in stone yet, and it’s impossible to know exactly how these tax law changes might affect you and your charitable giving until the process is complete.
Our team is happy to help you think about how you might update your charitable giving plans whether or not certain provisions in the proposed legislation are enacted into law.
For example, many people include provisions in their estate plans to continue supporting the causes they championed during their lifetimes. They like the idea of leaving a legacy to improve the quality of life in our community across generations. Next time you’re considering an update to your estate plan, please reach out. The Morton Community Foundation is happy to work with you and your advisors to structure a legacy gift that is meaningful to both you and the community you love.
Related to legacy giving, it’s important to note that although the federal estate tax applies to a relatively small percentage of taxpayers, the impact can be significant (currently the top rate is 40%). If the total value of your assets (including real estate, investments, retirement accounts, business interests, life insurance you own, and personal property) exceeds $13.99 million as an individual, or $27.98 million as a married couple, the estate tax could be an issue for you. You’re likely aware that higher estate tax exemption enacted under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (TCJA) is set to sunset at the end of this year, but under the proposed legislation, the increased exemption would become permanent. If you’re nevertheless still anticipating the possibility of a taxable estate, incorporating a gift to a fund at the Morton Community Foundation in your estate plan can help reduce the tax’s impact.
Of course, people don’t give to charity just for tax reasons. Whether or not you expect to wind up with a taxable estate, the MCF can help you achieve your goals for making a difference in our community for years to come.
Another provision in the proposed legislation that might have caught your attention relates to the standard deduction. The bill would maintain the higher standard deduction levels from the TCJA and even add a temporary increase through 2028. As a result, fewer taxpayers would itemize deductions, which means fewer people would be able to claim a charitable deduction (although most people don’t support charities solely to get a tax deduction). The bill also introduces a modest “above-the-line” charitable deduction for nonitemizers in the amount of $150 for individuals and $300 for joint filers.
Finally, the bill would sharply raise excise taxes on the investment income of large private foundations, with rates going up from 1.39% to as much as 10% for the largest foundations. Foundations with less than $50 million in assets would not see any change. Remember that the Morton Community Foundation offers alternatives to private foundations, including donor-advised funds, that allow you to support your favorite charities and address important local needs.
So what’s next? The Senate is expected to start reviewing the bill in June, and the process could stretch into July or August as both the House and Senate work out their differences before sending the bill to President Trump for signature. We’ll keep you updated as this develops. If you have questions or want to talk about your charitable giving options, please reach out. Our team is here to help you support the causes you care about and address community needs in the most effective ways possible, no matter what happens to tax laws.
The Morton Community Foundation is honored to serve as a resource and sounding board as you build your charitable plans and pursue your philanthropic objectives for making a difference in the community. This newsletter is provided for informational purposes only. It is not intended as legal, accounting, or financial planning advice. Please consult your tax or legal advisor to learn how this information might apply to your own situation.