Marcel and Clio are considering making a sizable charitable gift to a local university using assets held in their joint mutual fund accounts. The primary purpose of their gifting strategy is to reduce the taxable estate while providing a benefit for the university. Which of the following strategies will maximize the effectiveness of this estate planning strategy?

a.Give the mutual funds first to their oldest child, who can then sell them with a stepped-up basis and use the proceeds as a donation to the university.

b.Donate the mutual funds directly to the university and allow the university to sell the mutual funds.

c.Sell the mutual funds first and then donate the cash proceeds to the university.

d.Transfer the mutual funds to a non-charitable irrevocable trust and then donate the trust income to the university.