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Real Money, Real Experts
Real Money, Real Experts is a personal finance podcast written and produced by AFCPE®. With an audience of financial professionals, we strive to educate and entertain with a combination of expert tips, engaging interviews, and real-life storytelling.
AFCPE® ensures the highest integrity of the financial counseling profession by certifying, connecting, and supporting diverse professionals. Our comprehensive program, the AFC® (Accredited Financial Counselor®), represent the gold standard of financial counseling certifications. And our membership community offers a place to share best practices, solve similar struggles, and access tools and resources that advance your career and enable you to better serve your clients.
Real Money, Real Experts
Tax-Smart Ways to Donate to Charities with Dr. Barbara O’Neill
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Hosts Dr. Brandy Baxter and Rachael DeLeon welcome longtime AFCPE member Dr. Barbara O’Neill to discuss changes in financial planning over 40 years, including increased automation and the uncertain readiness of AI, alongside AFCPE’s growing membership diversity.
O’Neill defines tax-smart charitable giving as aligning donations with income-tax benefits and highlights additional psychological benefits of philanthropy.
She shares strategies including qualified charitable distributions from traditional IRAs, bunching deductions to exceed the standard deduction, donor-advised funds, and new 2026 charitable deductions for non-itemizers, while noting shifting tax rules for itemizers.
The conversation also covers older adults’ needs—lower risk, lower taxes, simplicity, reliable income, and “fun money”—popular later-life class topics, solopreneur advice, and the importance of making financial education simple and actionable.
Show Notes:
00:00 Meet our guest, Barbara O'Neill
02:16 How Finance Has Changed
03:08 AI and the Human Touch
05:48 Tax Smart Giving Basics
14:41 Keeping Up With Tax Law
15:37 Giving Tips for Young Adults
17:57 Older Adults Money Needs
27:10 Late Life Entrepreneurship
33:01 Barbara's Two Cents
Show Note Links:
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Grab your copy of Barbara's book!
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