Florida Estates and Donor Advised Funds: why did mom and dad leave money to charity?

Florida estates may encounter charitable gifts or charitable devises (distributions) under a Florida will or revocable trust.   Some charitable gifts are outright (“To the Pankauski Foundation, I leave $1,000,000”).  Others are held in donor advised funds.  According to Fidelity Investment’s Fidelity Charitable Giving Report, total charitable giving in 2011 alone was close to $300 Billion !   Much of that charitable giving was in donor advised funds.   A donor advised fund is an account set up at places like Fidelity which attempt to assist with and simplify your intent to help out a public charity of your choosing.  It’s an alternative to outright distributions or giving someone (like your Florida executor, Florida trustee, or your children or heirs) the discretion to choose who to give your money to.  Fidelity has a website    www.fidelitycharitable.org .  So, why did mom and dad leave money to charity and not more money to you?  If mom or dad are still with you, now’s a good time to have that conversation.  If they are not, the answer lies in their wills and trusts and with their estate planning attorney.