What if the most valuable thing you give this season isn’t a gift
…..but a decision?
A decision to show up.
To speak out.
To do something that leaves the world better.
As the year winds down and the advertisers turn the dial up, you have the opportunity to flip the script and focus on what really matters: how you use your money and your time.
Because true wealth is the impact we make, the time we share, and the legacy we leave.
Giving is more than writing a check; it’s about making intentional choices that make a difference.
Time, money, and legacy have played a pivotal role in the work we do in memory of my brother-in-law, Keith Milano.
Your Time is a Valuable Asset
You can make more money, but you can’t make more time. When you give your time, whether volunteering, mentoring, or simply being present with loved ones, you are offering something deeply valuable.
Research shows that volunteering improves mental health, increases happiness, and even extends life expectancy. A study by Carnegie Mellon found that adults over 50 who volunteered at least 200 hours a year were 40% less likely to develop high blood pressure than non-volunteers.
I have experienced firsthand how giving can transform lives. In 2004, when we lost Keith, my wife Denise and I channeled our grief into action, and the Keith Milano Memorial Fund was born. A fund that supports the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) and our promise to be vocal about mental health.
Volunteering our time, whether for an organized fundraising event, taking a late-night call from a struggling family, or advocating for mental health, has brought purpose, connection, and yes, even joy, in the wake of tragedy.
Ask yourself:
Where are you investing your time this month?
Could some of it be redirected toward something or someone that truly matters to you?
Fueling Change Beyond Consumption
Let’s talk about money, after all, I am a financial advisor.
Too often, we view money through a lens of accumulation:
How much can I save?
How much can I grow?
But the real magic happens when we align our dollars with our values.
That’s why a number of the families we serve have incorporated charitable giving into their broader financial plan.
Not just year-end giving, but strategic giving, via a Donor Advised Fund (DAF), gifting appreciated stock, or creating legacy gifts through estate planning.
In 2023, Americans gave over $557 billion to charity, with individual donors accounting for nearly 64% of that total. And yet, fewer than 1 in 4 households has a structured giving strategy.
At Mitlin, we encourage those we serve to think about:
- “What causes light me up inside?”
- “What organizations reflect my values?”
- “How can I maximize the tax benefits while maximizing impact?”
For my family, that cause is mental health.
Through the Keith Milano Memorial Fund, we’ve raised over $2 million to support mental health awareness, research, and advocacy. And none of that would be possible without intentional giving not just from us, but from the incredible community that’s rallied around Keith’s story.
Give until it feels good. Giving offers the joy of knowing you’re part of something bigger than yourself.
Legacy: What You Leave Behind Lives On
There’s an old Jewish proverb that says:
“You die twice, once when your heart stops, and once when your name is spoken for the last time.”
We can’t change Keith’s story, but we can make sure his life matters. That his life, and the struggles he faced, fueled something bigger.
When we opened the Fund, we had no roadmap, just our grief, and a promise Denise made to the night sky the evening Keith died: “You will not go quietly.”
That promise became our purpose. It was the spark that led to the creation of the Keith Milano Memorial Fund.
Two decades later, we see the ripple effects of that promise. Families are speaking out. Teens are checking in on one another. And people are finding the courage to ask for help.
That is legacy.
And legacy isn’t reserved for the ultra-wealthy or the elite. It’s created every single day through our choices and our conversations.
Here’s how to start building yours:
- Create your estate plan to protect what you have built and carry your values forward for the people and causes that matter to you.
- Pass down more than assets; share the stories, values, and lessons that shaped your life.
- Have the conversations now. Let your family hear, in your own words, what matters most to you and why.
Legacy planning is love in action. And it’s one of the greatest gifts you can give.
Giving Season is Legacy Season
As you go through this exercise, start to view giving as a long-term commitment, one that grows with you and leaves a lasting impact.
- Give your time to people and causes that matter.
- Give your money with intention and alignment.
- Give your legacy the attention it deserves because it’s the story people will tell when you’re no longer in the room.
And if you don’t know where to start?
Start by asking yourself the question that opens conversations at Mitlin:
“What did you do today that brought you joy?”®
Let’s Talk About Your Legacy
At Mitlin Financial, we help families build financial plans that prioritize joy, impact, and legacy.
Whether you are looking to build a charitable giving strategy, integrate philanthropy into your wealth transfer, or align your financial plan with what matters most, let’s start that conversation.
Schedule your free, no-obligation discovery call with the Mitlin Team
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Generally, a donor advised fund is a separately identified fund or account that is maintained and operated by a section 501(c)(3) organization, which is called a sponsoring organization. Each account is composed of contributions made by individual donors. Once the donor makes the contribution, the organization has legal control over it. However, the donor, or the donor’s representative, retains advisory privileges with respect to the distribution of funds and the investment of assets in the account. Donors take a tax deduction for all contributions at the time they are made, even though the money may not be dispersed to a charity until much later.
