earned is 1.5%. All I wanted to make sure is that it doesn't decrease. My balance has increased since I contributed in August. You can invest in riskier stuff, but I am strictly cash equivalent investment in the DAF. My purpose for the DAF is as an administrator, not as an investment medium. No risk, just distributions to my charities. Here is the benefit to a DAF, particularly when you do two years (or more) of donations at once:
1. If you guess too high, you haven't over paid your tithing, and your DAF has money in it you can use for the future.
2. If you have other charities, they can also be funded through the DAF, so you are better able to bunch deductions.
3. It is much easier to point and click on your DIK in your Schwab brokerage to your Schwab DAF. I think it took about 3 minutes to do mine (versus a form to Schwab (and waiting for the transfer while the market moves) and a letter to the Church's DIK office to notify them). What I don't know is missions - not sure how you would do that through a DAF, but I have done it via a DIK. My guess is it is doable.
4. For me the drive is I am not comfortable being in "arrears" on tithing. I have a calendar cutoff when I declare that I am a full tithe payer that year. Not applying my standard to anyone else, and no judgement, but that is what makes the DAF more important. If you just put your tithing in a bank account this year, and then pay it next year with 2020, the need for a DAF is less important.