How to Qualify for the Strategic Giving Partnership

Who Qualifies for the Strategic Giving Partnership?

The Strategic Giving Partnership (SGP) is not for everyone. It is designed for a specific financial profile, and we are transparent about the qualification criteria because implementing the SGP for someone who does not fit the profile would not serve them well.

This article explains exactly what it takes to qualify, what the process looks like, and what happens after you are accepted.

Core Financial Qualification

The minimum financial threshold to benefit from the SGP is $500,000 or more in annual federal tax liability, typically corresponding to $1.5 million or more in annual taxable income.

This threshold exists for a practical reason: the SGP involves professional structuring, legal documentation, and ongoing management. Below $500K in annual tax liability, the implementation cost may not be justified by the savings. Above that threshold, the ROI is typically 5-10x in the first year alone.

Professional Profiles That Typically Qualify

The SGP works across industries and professions. Our clients include:

• •Business owners with $2M+ in annual revenue and significant tax exposure
• •Physicians — practice owners, surgeons, specialists earning $1.5M+ annually
• •Attorneys — partners at law firms, solo practitioners with high billings
• •Real estate investors with significant rental income and capital gains
• •Founders approaching a business exit — pre-sale planning for maximum tax savings at close
• •Family offices managing multi-generational wealth with complex tax situations

The common thread is not the industry — it is the tax liability. If you are paying $500K+ in annual taxes regardless of how you earn the income, the SGP can likely help.

The Charitable Intent Requirement

The SGP is built around genuine charitable giving. The IRS requires real philanthropic activity — this is not optional and cannot be simulated.

What this means in practice:

• •You must be willing to direct charitable giving to causes you care about (education, healthcare, community development, arts, etc.)
• •The charitable component is structured so that tax savings far exceed the charitable contribution — you come out ahead financially
• •You choose the causes — the SGP does not dictate where your charitable dollars go
• •Family involvement is encouraged — many clients involve their families in the foundation's charitable mission

If you have no interest in charitable giving whatsoever, the SGP is not the right fit. But if you are open to directing a portion of your tax savings toward causes that matter to you — while keeping significantly more money than you would under your current tax structure — the SGP aligns financial benefit with philanthropic impact.

The Qualification Process

Step 1: Initial Qualification Call

The process begins with a confidential call where we review your financial profile at a high level. We need to understand:

• •Your approximate annual income and tax liability
• •Your business or professional structure
• •Your current tax planning strategies
• •Your interest in and capacity for charitable giving

This call typically takes 30-45 minutes. There is no cost and no obligation. Schedule your qualification call here.

Step 2: Financial Review

If the initial call confirms a potential fit, we conduct a deeper financial review. This involves:

• •Reviewing your most recent 2-3 years of tax returns
• •Analyzing your entity structure and income sources
• •Identifying the specific tax exposure the SGP would address
• •Estimating your projected annual savings

Step 3: Structural Design

Our team designs the specific SGP structure tailored to your situation. This includes:

• •Partnership structure and entity configuration
• •Charitable framework and foundation setup
• •Legal documentation requirements
• •Implementation timeline and milestones

Step 4: Legal Review and Documentation

Independent tax attorneys review the proposed structure and prepare legal opinion letters confirming compliance. This step ensures that every element of your SGP is defensible and well-documented. For more on the legal foundation, see our IRS compliance article.

Step 5: Implementation

The structure is formally established. Entities are created, partnerships are formed, and the SGP becomes operational. Most clients see their first tax reduction within 60-90 days of engagement.

What Happens After Qualification?

Once your SGP is implemented, the structure provides ongoing annual tax savings. Here is what the ongoing relationship looks like:

• •Annual review — we review your structure each year to ensure it remains optimized for your current income level
• •Compliance management — we handle the ongoing compliance requirements (filings, documentation, distribution requirements)
• •CPA coordination — we work directly with your CPA to ensure seamless integration with your tax returns
• •Adjustment capability — if your income changes significantly, the structure can be scaled up or down accordingly

Common Disqualifiers

To be transparent, here are situations where the SGP is typically not the right fit:

• •Annual tax liability below $200,000 — the implementation cost may not justify the savings
• •W-2 employees without business income — the SGP is designed for business owners and self-employed professionals (though some high-earning W-2 employees with significant investment income may qualify)
• •No interest in charitable giving — the SGP requires genuine philanthropic activity
• •Unstable income — if your income fluctuates dramatically year to year, the SGP may need to be structured differently or may not be appropriate
• •Active IRS disputes — if you are currently under audit or have unresolved tax issues, those should be addressed before implementing new structures

Is Your Situation Similar?

If you are paying $500K+ in annual taxes and wondering whether the SGP could reduce your bill by 50%, the next step is a confidential qualification call. We will review your situation honestly and tell you whether the SGP is a fit — or recommend a different approach if it is not.

Schedule your qualification call. We accept a limited number of new engagements each quarter.

KC Chohan is the founder of Structural Tax Advisors and a Forbes Finance Council member. He specializes in advanced tax reduction strategies for high-net-worth business owners, physicians, and attorneys.