Assisting with estate planning matters and charitable gifts is an aspect of William “Billy” Etter’s career as a busy tax attorney that makes his professional demands feel worthwhile. While many of Billy’s clients approach him with specific charitable intentions, they don’t always have a comprehensive understanding of how to give. His fulfillment comes from pairing their generosity with his technical knowledge to ensure their legacies will be carried out. 

“This may be the first time somebody’s going through the process of figuring out who they want to give to and how they can give,” says Billy. “Estate planning attorneys deal with these issues all day, every day and have a bit more depth of knowledge about what the options are.” 

Billy has developed extensive experience helping clients navigate charitable giving over the past 16 years. After earning his J.D. from the University of Arizona and his LL.M. from New York University, he began practicing law in Spokane in 2010 and became connected with Innovia when the organization was still called Inland Northwest Community Foundation. 

He sees Innovia as an incredible resource for end-of-life clients in Eastern Washington and North Idaho. Clients articulate what they want to do, and Innovia handles the rest, lifting a weight from family members who would otherwise be responsible for administering their charitable wishes. 

Billy, whose parents instilled in him the importance of giving back, views charitable giving not only as a practical planning tool, but also as a means of showing gratitude to the people and places that shape our lives. 

“Giving to organizations that you’re passionate about is a way to acknowledge that we don’t do all of this on our own – we’re products of our families and communities. I think it’s a noble act to give back to those people once you’re gone.”