An April 2013 survey of Fidelity Charitable® donors displayed a striking near unanimity of opinion on the importance that parents place on instilling charitable values in their children. When asked to think about their families and children:
Here are six steps for teaching your children philanthropy:
1. Get on the same page with your partner.
In a separate study in 2009, male respondents overwhelmingly—92% of them—named their spouse or partner as the main person who influenced them in charitable giving, according to Fidelity Charitable®. The percentage among female respondents was nearly as high. So it appears that most couples are already well in synch when it comes to charitable giving. But as an important first step, make sure that you and your partner are on the same page in terms of an overall mission and goals for philanthropy before engaging your kids in the process.