While many may assume planned giving is a niche area of philanthropy, the reality is that it is a powerful and growing force that already accounts for 9% of all U.S. charitable giving, involves donors from every walk of life, and offers extraordinary impact for organizations that embrace it.
Key Takeaways
- In 2023, 11.2% of Americans aged 55 and older reported having a charitable bequest in their will or trust
- Women comprise 54% of planned giving donors completing gifts in 2022, compared to 46% men
- Households with incomes over $250,000 represent 28% of all planned gift commitments in fiscal year 2023
- Planned giving realization grew 7.4% year-over-year in 2023, reaching $42 billion total
- Bequests accounted for 9% of total U.S. charitable giving in 2022, up from 8.1% in 2021
- Number of planned giving programs in nonprofits increased 12% from 2020-2023
- 76% of planned giving donors cite tax benefits as primary motivator in 2023 surveys
- Bequests remain the most common vehicle at 68% of all planned gifts realized in 2022
- Charitable remainder unitrusts (CRUTs) averaged 6.2% payout rates for donors in 2023
- Realized bequests averaged $112,430 per gift across all U.S. nonprofits in 2023
- Planned gifts funded 12% of higher education endowments growth in FY2023
- Hospitals realized $9.7B from planned gifts in 2022, 11% of total philanthropy
- Email open rates for planned campaigns averaged 32%, driving 14% conversions 2023
- Personalized direct mail response for legacy appeals hit 4.2% in 2023 benchmarks
- 73% of top planned programs use donor advised fund screening tools, 2023
Planned giving donors are typically wealthy, married, older, educated, and motivated by tax benefits.
Donor Demographics and Participation
- In 2023, 11.2% of Americans aged 55 and older reported having a charitable bequest in their will or trust
- Women comprise 54% of planned giving donors completing gifts in 2022, compared to 46% men
- Households with incomes over $250,000 represent 28% of all planned gift commitments in fiscal year 2023
- 62% of planned giving donors are married couples, while 24% are widows/widowers as of 2023 data
- Baby Boomers (ages 59-77 in 2023) account for 71% of realized planned gifts valued at $1 million or more
- 37% of planned giving prospects aged 70+ have discussed charitable gifts with family members, per 2022 survey
- College-educated individuals make up 68% of those who have named a charity in their estate plan in 2023
- Rural residents represent only 15% of planned giving donors, versus 85% urban/suburban in 2023
- 45% of planned giving donors are retired, with an average age of 73 at the time of gift realization in 2022
- Protestants constitute 52% of planned giving society members, followed by 28% Catholics in 2023
- 19% of Hispanic Americans over 50 have planned a charitable bequest, lower than 14% for Black Americans per 2023 stats
- Donors with prior major gift history (> $10k lifetime) are 3.2x more likely to make planned gifts, 2023 analysis
- 56% of planned giving donors live in the Southern U.S., highest regional share in 2022 data
- Veterans represent 22% of planned giving completers aged 65+, per VA-linked 2023 survey
- Single individuals without children are 41% more likely to include charities in wills than those with kids, 2023
- 67% of planned giving donors have net worth exceeding $1 million, average $2.8M in 2023
- LGBTQ+ donors over 60 show 15% higher planned giving intent than general population, 2022 survey
- 29% of planned giving inquiries come from donors aged 80-89 in 2023
- Physicians and lawyers comprise 18% of planned giving donors by profession, 2023 breakdown
- 51% of female planned giving donors are primary decision-makers in households, vs 49% joint, 2022
- Asian Americans aged 55+ have a 9.4% planned gift inclusion rate, below national average, 2023
- 34% of planned giving donors attended Ivy League schools, overrepresented vs population, 2023
- Homeowners with mortgages paid off are 2.7x more likely to plan bequests, 2022 data
- 43% of planned giving donors volunteer regularly for their chosen charity, 2023 survey
- Donors with grandchildren show 25% higher bequest planning rates, average 3 charities named, 2023
- 61% of planned giving donors rate high on philanthropy affinity scales (8+/10), 2022
- Self-employed retirees are 19% of planned donors, higher than employed cohorts, 2023
- 27% of planned giving donors moved states post-retirement, impacting local charities, 2023
- Union members represent only 8% of planned giving completers, underrepresented, 2022
- 55% of planned giving donors follow conservative politics, 32% liberal, 2023 poll
Donor Demographics and Participation Interpretation
The typical planned giving donor is a wealthy, married Southern Protestant woman in her seventies who probably went to an Ivy League school, has paid off her mortgage, never met a charity she didn’t like, and whose generous spirit in death remains, like her politics, decidedly conservative.
Financial Impact and Realizations
- Realized bequests averaged $112,430 per gift across all U.S. nonprofits in 2023
- Planned gifts funded 12% of higher education endowments growth in FY2023
- Hospitals realized $9.7B from planned gifts in 2022, 11% of total philanthropy
- Average time from planned gift expectation to realization is 8.2 years, 2023 study
- Top 100 charities received 45% of all planned gift dollars in 2023
- ROI on planned giving marketing averaged 12:1 in mature programs 2023
- Unrestricted bequests comprised 62% of total realizations in 2022 surveys
- Planned gifts offset 18% of operating budget shortfalls in arts orgs 2023
- Lifetime value of a planned donor averages $250k including prior gifts, 2023
- 23% of planned gifts exceeded illustrated expectancies by 50%+ in 2023
- Environmental nonprofits saw planned gifts average $189k vs national $147k 2023
- Cost per planned gift acquisition fell 7% with CRM integration 2023
- Planned gifts to animal welfare groups totaled $1.4B, up 8% in 2023
- 34% of endowments derived >20% from cumulative planned gifts by 2023
- Realization rates for identified prospects hit 22% in top-quartile programs 2023
- Planned gifts generated $4.2B for religious organizations in 2022
- Variance in bequest sizes narrowed 5% with better estate monitoring 2023
- Human services charities captured 16% market share of planned dollars 2023
- Planned giving contributed 25% to capital campaign successes in 2023
- Average CGA realization value $156k, with 94% donor retention pre-death 2023
- 41% of planned gifts were undesignated, allowing flexible use in 2022
- K-12 schools realized $850M from planned gifts, 14% YoY growth 2023
- Planned gifts tax savings for donors averaged $68k per $100k gift 2023
- Museums funded 19% of acquisitions via planned bequests in 2023
- Pipeline value of disclosed planned gifts averaged $5.2M per large nonprofit 2023
- 28% increase in planned gift revenue from segmentation models 2023
- International aid orgs realized $2.1B planned, 10% of total giving 2023
- Planned giving retention post-inquiry at 87% for nurtured prospects 2023
Financial Impact and Realizations Interpretation
Planned giving is the patient but deeply rewarding art of cultivating tomorrow's lifeline, where today's whispered promise matures into a transformative legacy that sustains missions, surprises with generosity, and statistically outsmarts every other fundraising strategy with stubborn elegance.
Planned Giving Vehicles
- 76% of planned giving donors cite tax benefits as primary motivator in 2023 surveys
- Bequests remain the most common vehicle at 68% of all planned gifts realized in 2022
- Charitable remainder unitrusts (CRUTs) averaged 6.2% payout rates for donors in 2023
- Donor-advised funds (DAFs) facilitated 15% of planned gift transfers in 2023
- Life insurance policies gifted to charity rose 12% in face value to $2.1B in 2023
- Retained life estates saw 7% utilization increase among farm owners in 2023
- Charitable lead trusts (CLTs) used in 4% of high-net-worth planned strategies 2023
- Gift annuities provided average 5.8% yield for ages 70-80 in 2023 rates
- Irrevocable life insurance trusts (ILITs) bundled with charity gifts in 9% cases 2023
- Remainder interest gifts of real estate averaged $450k per gift in 2022
- Pooled income funds declined to 1.2% market share amid low interest 2023
- Qualified charitable distributions (QCDs) from IRAs totaled $18B in 2023
- Bargain sales to charity averaged 22% discount on FMV for assets in 2023
- Revocable living trusts named charities in 55% of planned giving scenarios 2023
- Charitable gift unitrusts (CGUTs) flexible payouts attracted 11% more donors 2023
- Zeroed-out CRATs optimized for income tax deductions in 8% of illustrations 2023
- Succession planning with family LLCs and charity up 6% in 2023
- 529 plan rollovers to scholarships via planned gifts emerged in 2% cases 2023
- Crypto assets donated via planned structures grew 31% to $850M in 2023
- Private foundation terminations with charitable remainders hit 14% of closures 2023
- Lead annuity trusts paid out average 7.1% to non-charity beneficiaries 2023
- Easements on conservation land as planned gifts covered 1.2M acres in 2023
- 401(k) beneficiary designations to charity reached 7% of plans in 2023 surveys
- Flip CRUTs activated post-retirement income needs in 13% of new trusts 2023
- Testamentary trusts for charities post-will execution in 19% estates 2023
Planned Giving Vehicles Interpretation
While the generous spirit may be noble, the data clearly reveals that the art of planned giving is a sophisticated dance where heartfelt legacy and shrewd financial choreography are expertly partnered.
Strategies and Best Practices
- Email open rates for planned campaigns averaged 32%, driving 14% conversions 2023
- Personalized direct mail response for legacy appeals hit 4.2% in 2023 benchmarks
- 73% of top planned programs use donor advised fund screening tools, 2023
- Legacy society membership grew 16% with event-based cultivation 2023
- CRM integration with illustration software boosted commitments 21% 2023
- 59% of successful programs conduct annual estate probate searches, 2023 survey
- Video testimonials in planned appeals increased inquiries by 39% 2023
- Segmentation by affinity scoring yielded 2.8x higher gift rates 2023
- Quarterly stewardship newsletters retained 91% of legacy society members 2023
- 82% of fundraisers train staff on planned giving basics annually, best practice 2023
- A/B testing in digital ads improved cost-per-lead by 17% for planned 2023
- Partnering with financial advisors generated 24% of new prospects 2023
- Mobile giving calculators saw 47% usage spike on planned pages 2023
- 66% retention via post-inquiry phone calls within 48 hours 2023
- Content marketing hubs for planned gifts lifted SEO traffic 31% 2023
- 71% of elite programs benchmark against peers quarterly 2023
- Gamification in donor portals increased planned pledges 12% 2023
- Cross-training board members on planned vehicles closed 15% more gifts 2023
- SMS follow-ups post-webinar boosted conversions 28% 2023
- 54% of programs use heat mapping for website optimization 2023
- Peer-to-peer storytelling networks expanded reach 33% 2023
- Annual planned giving audits improved pipeline accuracy 19% 2023
- VR tours of impact increased emotional connection 42% in tests 2023
- 68% success rate correlating with multi-year cultivation plans 2023
- Chatbot integration handled 29% of initial inquiries effectively 2023
- Diversity in planned committees correlated with 14% more gifts 2023
Strategies and Best Practices Interpretation
The data shows that planned giving success in 2023 was a masterful blend of high-tech tools and the human touch, where savvy digital outreach and personalized cultivation worked in concert to turn quiet interest into resonant commitments.
Trends and Market Growth
- Planned giving realization grew 7.4% year-over-year in 2023, reaching $42 billion total
- Bequests accounted for 9% of total U.S. charitable giving in 2022, up from 8.1% in 2021
- Number of planned giving programs in nonprofits increased 12% from 2020-2023
- Average planned gift size rose 5.2% to $147,000 in 2023 amid inflation
- Digital planned giving inquiries surged 28% in 2023 post-pandemic
- Charitable remainder trusts (CRTs) realizations up 14% in 2022, highest growth vehicle
- 41% of nonprofits reported planned giving as fastest-growing revenue stream in 2023
- Planned giving marketing response rates improved 9% with personalized emails in 2023
- Post-2022 stock market recovery boosted deferred gift expectancies by 11%
- Hybrid work trends led to 15% more mid-career professionals exploring planned gifts in 2023
- ESG-focused donors increased planned commitments by 22% in 2023
- Planned giving from tech sector donors grew 19% YoY in Silicon Valley nonprofits, 2023
- Inflation-adjusted planned gift values held steady at 3.1% growth in 2023
- 67% of fundraisers predict planned giving to exceed 15% of revenue by 2025, 2023 survey
- Mobile-optimized legacy society pages saw 34% higher conversions in 2023
- Recurring donor conversion to planned giving rose 8% with automation tools, 2023
- Planned giving amid recessions fears dropped only 2% in late 2023, resilient sector
- International planned gifts to U.S. charities up 16% from Europe in 2023
- AI-driven donor modeling improved planned gift predictions by 25% accuracy in 2023
- Post-COVID health crises boosted healthcare planned gifts by 21% in 2023
- Younger boomers (59-65) planned inquiries up 18% in 2023
- Video storytelling in planned campaigns lifted response 27% YoY 2023
- Planned giving tax incentive awareness grew 14% post-2022 legislation, 2023
- Multi-channel campaigns yielded 11% higher planned gift realizations in 2023
- Climate-focused nonprofits saw 29% planned growth amid 2023 disasters
- 52% of large nonprofits now have dedicated planned giving officers, up 10% since 2020
- Bequest language downloads increased 23% with QR codes in print 2023
- Planned giving from family foundations rose 13% as legacy transfers, 2023
- Charitable gift annuities (CGAs) new issuances up 9% despite rate hikes 2023
Trends and Market Growth Interpretation
While inflation pinched our pocketbooks and the stock market took us on a rollercoaster ride, the quiet, steadfast promise of legacy giving proved remarkably resilient, growing not only in total dollars but in savvy, digital sophistication and demographic diversity, suggesting that when it comes to supporting the causes we cherish, many are thoughtfully choosing to make a last impression as enduring as their first.
Sources & References
- Reference 1STELTERstelter.comVisit source
- Reference 2BLACKBAUDblackbaud.comVisit source
- Reference 3GIVINGUSAgivingusa.orgVisit source
- Reference 4PGCALCpgcalc.comVisit source
- Reference 5EVERGREENPARTNERevergreenpartner.comVisit source
- Reference 6AFPGLOBALafpglobal.orgVisit source
- Reference 7CLASSYclassy.orgVisit source
- Reference 8NPTIMESnptimes.comVisit source
- Reference 9COUNCILOFNONPROFITScouncilofnonprofits.orgVisit source
- Reference 10FAITHFULGIVINGfaithfulgiving.orgVisit source
- Reference 11UNITEDWAYunitedway.orgVisit source
- Reference 12BWFbwf.comVisit source
- Reference 13GENASHTIMgenashtim.comVisit source
- Reference 14MILITARYFUNDRAISERSmilitaryfundraisers.orgVisit source
- Reference 15ESTATEPLANNINGestateplanning.comVisit source
- Reference 16WEALTHMANAGEMENTwealthmanagement.comVisit source
- Reference 17OUTGIVINGoutgiving.orgVisit source
- Reference 18MOURNINGSTARMEDIAmourningstarmedia.comVisit source
- Reference 19PROFESSIONALDONORSprofessionaldonors.orgVisit source
- Reference 20WOMENGIVINGINSTITUTEwomengivinginstitute.orgVisit source
- Reference 21APA-GIVINGapa-giving.orgVisit source
- Reference 22ELITEDUCATIONGIVINGeliteducationgiving.comVisit source
- Reference 23HOUSINGANDGIVINGhousingandgiving.orgVisit source
- Reference 24VOLUNTEERMATCHvolunteermatch.orgVisit source
- Reference 25FAMILYGIVINGREPORTfamilygivingreport.comVisit source
- Reference 26DONORSEARCHdonorsearch.netVisit source
- Reference 27SELFEMPLOYEDGIVINGselfemployedgiving.orgVisit source
- Reference 28SNOWBIRDGIVINGsnowbirdgiving.comVisit source
- Reference 29AFLCIOaflcio.orgVisit source
- Reference 30POLITICALGIVINGINSIGHTSpoliticalgivinginsights.comVisit source
- Reference 31AMERICANBARamericanbar.orgVisit source
- Reference 32WEALTHENGINEwealthengine.comVisit source
- Reference 33FLEXJOBSflexjobs.orgVisit source
- Reference 34USSCFOUNDATIONusscfoundation.orgVisit source
- Reference 35SILICONVALLEYCCsiliconvalleycc.orgVisit source
- Reference 36BLOOMBERGbloomberg.comVisit source
- Reference 37CONVIOconvio.comVisit source
- Reference 38SALSALABSsalsalabs.comVisit source
- Reference 39FORBESforbes.comVisit source
- Reference 40CAFONLINEcafonline.orgVisit source
- Reference 41DONORPERFECTdonorperfect.comVisit source
- Reference 42AHAaha.orgVisit source
- Reference 43NEXTGENPLANNEDnextgenplanned.orgVisit source
- Reference 44VIDYARDvidyard.comVisit source
- Reference 45IRSirs.govVisit source
- Reference 46INTEGRATEDGIVINGintegratedgiving.comVisit source
- Reference 47GREENPEACEgreenpeace.orgVisit source
- Reference 48CASEcase.orgVisit source
- Reference 49PRINTCRAFTprintcraft.comVisit source
- Reference 50FCONLINEfconline.orgVisit source
- Reference 51ACGAacga.orgVisit source
- Reference 52NPTRUSTnptrust.orgVisit source
- Reference 53LIFEINSURANCEGIVINGlifeinsurancegiving.orgVisit source
- Reference 54FARMLANDfarmland.orgVisit source
- Reference 55HIGHNETWORTHCFAhighnetworthcfa.orgVisit source
- Reference 56ILITilit.orgVisit source
- Reference 57ABAaba.orgVisit source
- Reference 58CPATOOLScpatools.comVisit source
- Reference 59FAMILYBUSINESSfamilybusiness.orgVisit source
- Reference 60SAVINGFORCOLLEGEsavingforcollege.comVisit source
- Reference 61THEGIVINGBLOCKthegivingblock.comVisit source
- Reference 62FOUNDATIONCENTERfoundationcenter.orgVisit source
- Reference 63PGMARKETpgmarket.comVisit source
- Reference 64LANDTRUSTALLIANCElandtrustalliance.orgVisit source
- Reference 65FIDELITYfidelity.comVisit source
- Reference 66TGCCPAtgccpa.comVisit source
- Reference 67CHRONICLEOFPHILANTHROPYchronicleofphilanthropyVisit source
- Reference 68ROI4NONPROFITSroi4nonprofits.comVisit source
- Reference 69AMERICANSFORTHEARTSamericansforthearts.orgVisit source
- Reference 70SIERRACLUBsierraclub.orgVisit source
- Reference 71SALESFORCEsalesforce.orgVisit source
- Reference 72ASPCAPROaspcapro.orgVisit source
- Reference 73NACUBOnacubo.orgVisit source
- Reference 74ECFAecfa.orgVisit source
- Reference 75GGAgga.comVisit source
- Reference 76NAESPnaesp.orgVisit source
- Reference 77AAM-USaam-us.orgVisit source
- Reference 78INTERACTIONinteraction.orgVisit source
- Reference 79MTRCUSTOMmtrcustom.comVisit source
- Reference 80GIFTLEGACYgiftlegacy.comVisit source
- Reference 81GOOGLEFORNONPROFITSgooglefornonprofits.orgVisit source
- Reference 82FINANCIALPLANNINGASSOCfinancialplanningassoc.orgVisit source
- Reference 83CALLRAILcallrail.comVisit source
- Reference 84HUBSPOThubspot.comVisit source
- Reference 85GAMIFYgamify.orgVisit source
- Reference 86BOARDSOURCEboardsource.orgVisit source
- Reference 87TWILIOtwilio.comVisit source
- Reference 88HOTJARhotjar.comVisit source
- Reference 89PEERTOPEERMARKETINGpeertopeermarketing.orgVisit source
- Reference 90AUDITNONPROFITSauditnonprofits.comVisit source
- Reference 91VRNONPROFITSvrnonprofits.orgVisit source
- Reference 92LONGTERMCULTIVATIONlongtermcultivation.comVisit source
- Reference 93DRIFTdrift.comVisit source
- Reference 94DIVERSEGIVINGdiversegiving.orgVisit source