As the US went into the "giving season" last week, a study suggests that families' concerns about charity aren't high on the agenda.

A study of more than 2,000 US adults shows that almost nine out of ten of them (89 per cent) don't expect to talk about charity at their Thanksgiving table this year, suggesting that there is a need to ramp up the focus on philanthropy.

The online study of 2,050 US citizens by The Harris Poll, on behalf of Vanguard Charitable, showed that respondents are more likely to discuss family members (67 per cent), movies/TV shows (47 per cent) and the once-taboo topic of politics (33 per cent) at their holiday dinner table this year.

“Just like Thanksgiving traditions and charitable giving traditions can be passed from generation to generation and from friends to friends,” Jane Greenfield, president of Vanguard Charitable, said.

"Talking about the importance of giving back to others, whether it be through time, treasure or talent, is like sparking a fire – the more it’s talked about, the more likely it is for others to take action. With Thanksgiving serving as our country’s day to give thanks, it’s the perfect time for families and friends to talk about the causes closest to their hearts and how they support them."

This publication is running a series of features about philanthropy issues in wealth management in coming days.

Vanguard Charitable's findings included the following:

-- Only 11 per cent of Americans say that they are likely to discuss the topic of charitable giving at their holiday dinner this year;
-- Millennials (age 23-38) and Gen X (age 39-54) are more than twice as likely than Boomers (age 55-73) to say that charitable giving is likely to be discussed at their holiday dinner table this year (14 per cent each versus 6 per cent).