The headlines following release of the Giving USA 2026 Annual Report on Philanthropy have been decidedly upbeat for a change. “U.S. Giving Hits $617 billion,” trumpeted the news, accompanied by celebrations of a 3% growth in total giving and a remarkable 17% surge in charitable bequests. Although still short of the 2021 total of $661 billion, the 2025 numbers landed as a breath of fresh air for planned giving officers who endured the tumultuous post-pandemic dips and rocky inflationary markets of recent years. And, some pundits are already boldly proclaiming that the long-anticipated “Great Wealth Transfer” has officially kicked off.