Real Money, Real Experts: Tax-Smart Ways to Donate to Charities with Dr. Barbara O’Neill
Hosts Dr. Brandi Baxter and Rachel DeLeon welcome longtime AFCPE member Dr. Barbara O’Neill to discuss changes in financial planning over 40 years, including increasing automation and uncertain readiness for artificial intelligence, along with the growing diversity of AFCPE’s membership.
O’Neill defines tax-smart charitable giving as aligning donations with income tax benefits and highlights the additional psychological benefits of philanthropy.
She shares strategies including qualified charitable distributions from traditional IRAs, bundled deductions to go beyond the standard deduction, donor-advised funds, and new 2026 charitable deductions for non-itemizers, noting changing tax rules for itemizers.
The conversation also covers the needs of older adults—lower risk, lower taxes, simplicity, reliable income, and “fun money”—popular topics in later life classes, advice for solopreneurs, and the importance of making financial education simple and actionable.
Show notes:
00:00 Interview our guest, Barbara O’Neill
02:16 How the financial situation has changed
03:08 AI and the human touch
05:48 Tax Smart Bidding Basics
14:41 Keeping up with the tax code
15:37 Giving advice to young people
17:57 Money needs of older people
27:10 Entrepreneurship in late life
33:01 Two years for Barbara
Show notes links:
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