I enjoy contributing to several charities but need a better way to organize my gifts.

Solution: Setting up an account with a donor-advised fund (DAF) is a smart way to simply your giving. It streamlines record-keeping, and it’s akin to having your own private foundation –- but without the legal red tape.

As a DAF account holder, you can request a donation be made to a particular charity, and the DAF handles the paperwork and other details. You get an immediate tax deduction, but you don’t have to decide right away which charities will receive your money. That's helpful particularly when you donate appreciated assets. Typical fees for a DAF run no more than 1% of your account balance.

For further discussion of DAFs, see Philanthropy Made Easy.