The Biggest Story in the Billionaire Philanthropy World

Ray Madoff
Getty Images
Theodore Schleifer
August 23, 2021

On their face, D.A.Fs are merely plug-and-play vessels that make it easy for the wealthy to donate their money to charity. They offer what is essentially a charitable checking account—a place to deposit bulk contributions in stock or cryptocurrency, before a tax year ends, that can then be doled out gradually to nonprofits, much like the way you can use a debit card to spend proceeds from your paycheck. In theory, D.A.Fs increase the total money set aside for charity over the long run.