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Charity Therapy

Charity Therapy

Auteur(s): Jess Birken MNM JD
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À propos de cet audio

 What if you could hang out with experienced nonprofit professionals and ask them your burning questions about the day-to-day life of nonprofits? What if you could take their wisdom and bring it back to your organization, for free? That's what we do on Charity Therapy. Hosted by Jess Birken - owner and lawyer at Birken Law Office. Every episode is an in-depth look at how to run a nonprofit, from fundraising to IRS woes to people problems and more! Our goal is to empower nonprofits to achieve your mission by doing things right.Jess Birken, MNM, JD 543617 Développement commercial et entrepreneuriat Entrepreneurship Gestion et leadership Économie
Épisodes
  • 159: Reporter on the Street | Can You Use Retirement Funds to "Invest" In A Nonprofit? With Jeff Beck

    159: Reporter on the Street | Can You Use Retirement Funds to "Invest" In A Nonprofit? With Jeff Beck
    Mar 5 2026

    Do you know someone eyeing their retirement accounts to fund their nonprofit dreams? We need to talk!

    In this episode, I'm joined by Jeff Beck, a wealth advisor at COE Financial Group, to tackle a listener question that had me equal parts fascinated and horrified.

    Real Listener Question:

    "My partner has a traditional IRA with about $100,000 in it. Can she invest that money in my 501(c)(3) without penalties? Do we need to set up a for-profit company for her IRA to invest in first? Are there IRS rules against her investing in something I founded and run?"

    Jeff and I dig into the mechanics of IRAs, self-directed accounts, and what the IRS actually allows when it comes to retirement funds and charitable giving.

    Spoiler alert: nonprofits DO NOT have shareholders so you can't "invest" in them and get a return! There are some serious red flags here, both on the legal side AND in this interpersonal relationship.

    What You'll Learn:

    • Why you can't really "invest" in a nonprofit
    • How giving to a nonprofit can benefit an individual's tax position
    • What a self-directed IRA is and what you get to do with it
    • One legitimate way to donate your IRA funds to a nonprofit tax-free
    • Why getting "returns" on your contribution can put a nonprofit's tax-exemption at risk
    • How you can financially hurt yourself when you're starting a new organization

    Bottom line: Using your (or your significant other's) retirement fund to set up your new business is probably NOT a good idea. Protect yourself, protect your partner, and please, let that IRA grow.

    Resources from this Episode

    • Learn more about Jeff Beck at Coe Financial Group: https://www.coefinancial.com/
    • Previous Episode: How Nonprofits Can Find and Hire a Good Lawyer https://birkenlaw.com/charity-therapy-podcast/158-hiring-lawyer/
    • Episode Transcript: https://birkenlaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/CT159_Transcript.pdf

    Connect with Us

    • Jess Birken: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessbirken/
    • Jeff Beck – reach out at Jeff@coefinancial.com

    Listen & Engage

    • Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon Music
    • Rate & Review on Apple Podcasts: Click "Ratings and Reviews" then "Write a Review"
    • Send us your nonprofit questions: https://birkenlaw.com/podcast/#podcast-story

    Stay Connected

    • Sign up for the Birken Law Email list: https://birkenlaw.com/signup/
    • Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter
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    23 min
  • 158: Is Your Ringer On? | How Nonprofits Can Find and Hire a Good Lawyer

    158: Is Your Ringer On? | How Nonprofits Can Find and Hire a Good Lawyer
    Feb 19 2026

    Finding a lawyer should not feel harder than solving the legal problem itself. And yet, here we are.

    In this episode, Meghan and I talk about something that comes up constantly in my nonprofit law practice: how nonprofit leaders and boards actually find a good lawyer and how to tell whether someone is the right fit.

    Real Listener Question:

    "I am a board member tasked with finding my small nonprofit a lawyer. I am trying to collect five options for the board to review and have the board interview each lawyer. I've prepared an RFP to get information from as many firms as possible. Is there anything else I'm supposed to do to make sure we did a fair search?"

    We dig into why hiring a lawyer is not the same as hiring other vendors and why an RFP is often the wrong tool for the job. We talk about common misconceptions nonprofits have about fairness, pricing, and process, and why trying to copy large institutions can backfire for smaller organizations. This conversation also pulls back the curtain on how lawyers actually work, what red flags to watch for, and how to avoid overcomplicating a decision that already feels overwhelming.

    What You'll Learn:

    • How nonprofits typically find lawyers
    • Why RFPs usually do not work for legal services
    • What legal expertise actually looks like
    • How pricing structures should be discussed
    • Warning signs early in the relationship
    • Why "cheapest" is not always best
    • How to trust your gut while doing due diligence

    Bottom line: Hiring a lawyer does not require a perfect process. It requires clarity, trust, and a focus on finding someone who understands your nonprofit and can actually help you.

    Resources from this Episode

    • Previous Episode: How Classy May Be Hurting Your Donor Relationships: https://birkenlaw.com/charity-therapy-podcast/ct157-classy-donor-acknowledgement/
    • Episode Transcript: https://birkenlaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/CT158_Transcript.pdf

    Connect with Us

    • Jess Birken: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessbirken/
    • Meghan Heitkamp: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meghan-heitkamp-829254115/

    Listen & Engage

    • Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon Music
    • Rate & Review on Apple Podcasts: Click "Ratings and Reviews" then "Write a Review"
    • Send us your nonprofit questions: https://birkenlaw.com/podcast/#podcast-story

    Stay Connected

    • Sign up for the Birken Law Email list: https://birkenlaw.com/signup/
    • Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter
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    24 min
  • 157: Old Woman Shakes Fist at Sky | How Classy May Be Hurting Your Donor Relationships

    157: Old Woman Shakes Fist at Sky | How Classy May Be Hurting Your Donor Relationships
    Feb 5 2026
    Nonprofit newsflash - your donation platform might be quietly annoying your biggest donors 😬 In this episode, Meghan and I dig into some nonprofit LinkedIn drama sparked by a post from the one and only Eve Borenstein. Here's the situation: You gave a big donation, and you received an auto-generated donation receipt from the org's donation platform. The problem? The gift acknowledgement letter and receipt are WRONG. We break down why donor acknowledgement letters matter so much, what the IRS actually requires in those receipts for gifts over $250, and how automated systems can unintentionally damage donor trust. We also talk about the growing trend of for profit software companies promising to "handle everything" for nonprofits while missing critical compliance details. If you rely on online donation platforms, this conversation will likely make you rethink what you are outsourcing and what still needs human attention. What You'll Learn: What SHOULD be in your donor acknowledgement lettersHow bad receipts can create donor frustrationWhere donation platforms and tech solutions for nonprofits can fall shortHow automation can quietly hurt your donor retention Bottom line: Donor relationships are built on trust and gratitude. When your systems create friction instead of appreciation, even unintentionally, it can cost you future support and credibility. Resources from this Episode Listen to our past episode with Eve Borenstein here: https://birkenlaw.com/charity-therapy-podcast/ct104/Read Eve Borenstein's LinkedIn post about Classy here: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/taxexemptlaw_so-annual-gripe-continues-last-week-activity-7412874086961541120-7bsN?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAAEjProBQJRvgNexcp-oDkRTlIoUrU5fW7QListen to our last episode with Ephraim about GoFundMe here: https://birkenlaw.com/charity-therapy-podcast/ct150/Generate a good Gift Acknowledgement Letter here: https://birkenlaw.com/mg-document-app/gift-acknowledgment-letter/Previous Episode: Can Nonprofits Give Tax-Free Money to People?: https://birkenlaw.com/charity-therapy-podcast/156-nonprofit-give-money/Episode Transcript: https://birkenlaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/CT157_Transcript.pdf Connect with Us Jess Birken: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessbirken/Meghan Heitkamp: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meghan-heitkamp-829254115/ Listen & Engage Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon MusicRate & Review on Apple Podcasts: Click "Ratings and Reviews" then "Write a Review"Send us your nonprofit questions: https://birkenlaw.com/podcast/#podcast-story Stay Connected Sign up for the Birken Law Email list: https://birkenlaw.com/signup/ Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter
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    21 min
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