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Tax planning emphasizes coordinating investment income and charitable strategies. Donating appreciated, long-term securities directly allows the couple to deduct the fair market value (subject to percentage-of-AGI limits by property type and charity) while permanently avoiding capital gains tax on the embedded appreciation. Bunching gifts in a single year—potentially via a donor-advised fund—can raise itemized deductions above the standard deduction and align with income spikes, optimizing tax benefit. Option A realizes short-term gains taxed at ordinary rates; unless offset by short-term losses, this usually increases tax. Option C forfeits the key advantage because selling first triggers capital gains; donating the proceeds provides only a cash gift deduction, not gain avoidance. Option D may be appropriate in some multi-year plans, but if the goal is to reduce this year’s tax on investment income when gains are high, deferring the gift loses the immediate offsetting benefits. The CFP curriculum teaches integrating charitable planning with portfolio management, asset location, and loss/gain harvesting to manage brackets and maximize after-tax wealth; thus, B is most effective here.