At a glance
- The report was published October 15.
- Altrata puts UHNW individuals at 1.1 percent of the global millionaire class, yet they account for 38 percent of all individual philanthropic donations worldwide.
- According to a 2026 study by The Philanthropic Initiative, 75 percent of high-net-worth clients say they would be more likely to select a financial advisor who is knowledgeable about philanthropy.
Ultra wealthy people in the US donated about $107 billion to philanthropic causes in 2025, up 43 percent from roughly $85 billion in 2022, according to Altrata's High Net Worth Philanthropy 2026 report. The report was published October 15.
That $107 billion amounts to 43 percent of all global giving by ultra-high-net-worth individuals, defined in the report as those with a net worth of $30 million or more.
Altrata puts UHNW individuals at 1.1 percent of the global millionaire class, yet they account for 38 percent of all individual philanthropic donations worldwide. The US is home to roughly 37 percent of the global UHNW population, more than the combined share of the next nine largest UHNW countries, according to Altrata.
According to a 2026 study by The Philanthropic Initiative, 75 percent of high-net-worth clients say they would be more likely to select a financial advisor who is knowledgeable about philanthropy. That is nearly double the 40 percent who said the same in 2018. Fewer than half of advisors are delivering on that expectation, according to research from Foundation Source published in 2026.
Foundations and DAFs as service lines
At least 17 percent of the global UHNW population have either a private individual foundation or a family foundation, with that share higher still in the US, according to Altrata, which frames foundation management as a service line for advisors working with ultra-wealthy clients.
Donor-advised funds are gaining traction as a tax-efficient complement to private foundations, with 75 percent of current DAF users planning to increase contributions over the next three years, according to the 2026 Bank of America Private Bank Study of Wealthy Americans.
Altrata attributes the higher giving to strong capital market returns, technology sector wealth gains and a growing wave of intergenerational estate transfers, which have expanded both the UHNW population and the liquid assets available to give. Altrata's summary is that ultra-wealthy giving is becoming more concentrated and more strategic.
The report also points to the retreat of federal international aid under the second Trump administration and to charitable-giving tax changes in the 2025 One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
The 2025 One Big Beautiful Bill Act caps the maximum federal tax benefit on charitable donations at 35 percent beginning in 2026, down from 37 percent. The cap trims the benefit at the top rather than removing it, and a client's appreciated stock, DAF timing and foundation grant schedule all affect the year the deduction lands.
Reported by the Tax & estate planning desk from InvestmentNews. Published . Corrections