b'F I N A N C I A LPlanning for Charitable GivingWe all want to leave behind a better world. Long-term planning is the key to making a difference through philanthropy.By Jeff HallAbout Jeff Hall C haritable giving is a foundation of our culture. Taught from In 1999, Jeff began his career in finance with a regionalchildhood that its better to give than to receive, we donate our brokerage firm after a successful four years as a studenttime, money and energy to causes, give to friends in need, andathlete at the University of Tennessee. While at UT,often extend a hand to total strangers. Crowdfunding campaigns through siteshe was a captain of the 1998 National Championshiplike GoFundMe generated $17 billion in 2019 in North America alone, almostfootball team, a four-time All-SEC placekicker, a four- 34 percent more than the year before. The 100 largest charities in the United Statestime Academic All-SEC student athlete and was namedreceived $49 billion in donations in 2018. And we give more than money. Every year, SEC kicker of the decade for the 1990s. 63 million Americans give 8 billion hours of their time to nonprofits.1Jeff will be the first to tell you that success in one area of life does not automatically translate to successMany people misquote the biblical statement that, The love of money is the elsewhere. His transition into the real world was filledroot of all evil. It isnt the money thats bad; its the obsession with it that with failures and disappointments. But when he wascauses problems. Money itself is neither good nor bad, its just a necessary tool hired as the first employee at Rather & Kittrell in 2002,for living. Like a hammer, money can be used to create and build, but it can be he knew he had found his calling. His pursuit of lifelongdangerous if mishandled. learning and technical proficiency led him to earn the certification, theHow, then, do we decide how and where to give, and how much?Certified Investment Management Analyst (CIMA) certification and Ceritfied Kingdom Advisor ( ) certification after studying at the Wharton School ofGiving is the only way to break the power of money. It is the key to becoming Business, University of Pennsylvania. Now a partnerfinancially free, to achieving contentment in life. Pastor and author Dr. David at RK, he continues helping successful families becomeJeremiah says, Contentment is looking back without regret, looking at the thriving families and working with employers who wantpresent without envy and looking at the future without fear. Contentment isto help their employees make work optional. a choice; the most generous givers are typically the ones who have chosen toJeff and his family live in Farragut, Tennesseebe content, to determine how much is enough and to establish financialand are actively involved in local and overseasfinish lines. There is freedom in living that way.Christian ministries.26'