Estate Planning

Make a Bequest

A bequest is one of the easiest gifts to make. With the help of an advisor, you can include language in your will or trust specifying a gift to be made to family, friends or a charity as part of your estate plan.

Your Bequest Options

A bequest may be made in several ways:

• Gift of a percentage of your estate
• Gift of a specific dollar amount or asset
• Gift from the balance or residue of your estate

Benefits of Your Bequest

• Receive estate tax charitable deduction.
• Lessen the burden of taxes on your family.
• Leave a lasting legacy.

Making a Bequest of Your Retirement Assets

A retirement asset, such as an IRA account, makes an excellent bequest to us. If the IRA were given to your family, much of the value may be lost through estate and income taxes. By designating a charity as the beneficiary of all or part of your IRA (using a beneficiary designation form provided by your custodian), the full value of the gift is transferred tax-free at your death and your estate receives an estate tax charitable deduction.

Gift of Stocks and Bonds

A gift of appreciated securities, including stocks or bonds, is an easy way for you to make a gift. Here are some of the potential benefits:

• Avoid paying capital gains tax.
• Receive a charitable income tax deduction.
• Enjoy possible increased income.
• Further our mission today!

Make your gift today by electronic transfer!

It’s easy. Please contact us for delivery instructions to make a transfer from your brokerage account to us.

Send us your gift by mail

If you hold securities in certificate form, you will need to use two envelopes to complete your gift. In the first, place the unsigned stock certificate(s). In the other, include a signed stock power for each certificate. You may obtain this from your broker or bank. Please remember to use certified mail.

Gifts of Real Estate

A gift of your appreciated real property (such as your home, vacation property, vacant land, farmland, ranch or commercial property) can make a great gift. Here are some of the benefits you may enjoy:

• Avoid paying capital gains tax.
• Receive a charitable income tax deduction.
• Leave a lasting legacy.

How you make a gift of real property

Your real property may be gifted to our organization by executing or signing a deed transferring ownership. You may deed part or all of your real property to our organization. Your gift will generally be based on the property’s fair market value, which must be established by an independent appraisal.

Can you make a gift of mortgaged property?

Please contact us if the property you wish to give has existing debt or a mortgage. Check with us on the capital gains tax implications of your gift. You also may be interested in life income options.

Gift of Retirement Assets

A gift of your retirement assets [IRA, 401(k), 403(b), pension or other tax deferred plan] is an excellent way to make a gift. If you are like most people, you probably will not use all of your retirement assets during your lifetime. Make a gift and help further our mission.

Give your retirement assets in your will

Did you know that 50%-60% of your retirement assets may be taxed if you leave them to your heirs at your death? Another option is to leave your heirs assets that receive a step up in basis (such as real estate and stock) and give the retirement assets to our organization. As a charity, we are not taxed upon receiving an IRA or other retirement plan assets.

How to transfer your retirement assets

Your retirement assets may be transferred to us by completing a beneficiary designation form provided by your plan custodian. If you designate our organization as beneficiary, we will benefit from the full value of your gift because your IRA assets will not be taxed at your death. Your estate will benefit from an estate tax charitable deduction for the gift.

Gifts of Cash

A cash gift is a simple and easy way for you to make a gift. Your gift can:

• Make an immediate impact on our mission today.
• Provide you with a charitable income tax deduction.

Make Your Gift Online Now!

It’s easy. Just complete our Online Donation Form. Your gift will be processed quickly and safely using our secure server.

Send Us Your Gift By Mail

You can send us a check or money order. Please let us know if you want your gift used for a specific purpose, by indicating that purpose either in the memo line or in a letter to us.

Contact Us for More Information

If you have any questions about making your gift, please contact us by email with your questions or comments.