This time of year, our inboxes are often flooded with emails about great needs in our communities and around the world. When you’re in your prime working years and have a steady source of income, it may be easier to contemplate and execute charitable giving. But what about when you retire?

When you’re grateful for what you have and generous with your resources, you experience less financial stress than when you focus primarily on accumulation. The psychological link between gratitude and financial well-being has real implications for everyday money management.

For many business owners and wealth creators in retirement, the IRA is a relic of earlier accumulation — a tax-deferred account that now forces withdrawals you may not need. Whether it’s your own IRA or one you’ve inherited, these distributions are an obligation, but they can also become a tool for purpose, generosity, and legacy that you can thoughtfully deploy.