Bequests: Wills and Trusts
Goal: Defer a gift until after your
lifetime
Benefit: Your donations are fully exempt
from federal estate tax and you retain control of your assets
David and Ann established an endowment fund that would help
young children of disadvantaged families with education expenses. They had initially made an
outright gift of some appreciated
stock, taking advantage of the tax benefits, and later changed their will to include a bequest that will magnify
the fund tenfold.
Ann: "We felt good about
helping through establishing a small fund. But we had no idea what
the fund would bring to us."
David: "Over
the years, we have since met with some of the recipients of the fund.
I can't describe how good it feels to sit with these young people, 
to
hear them describe their dreams and ambitions. To realize that we have
become a part of their future and that they have become a part of our
family."
Ann: "I
feel like we really have accomplished something good!"
In addition to enabling them to satisfy their charitable desires, this was a wise financial move as they needed to retain control of their assets for future contingencies.
While they knew the future is uncertain, Ann and David wanted to be sure that what they didn't need would go to help others.
They also understood the importance of having a will.
For information regarding living trusts, please click here. To look at examples of bequest language, please click here for more information. There is some additional information available about the benefits of utilizing a charitable bequest and how bequests enable you to keep control of your assets.
Also, bequests are often used to build an endowment,
a fund that provides a legacy for you and provides for the future of Lighthouse Mission. Codicils are a simple and easy way to make changes to an existing will.
Using funds from a retirement account to make bequests is often a good
strategy. If there is a balance in your retirement account at your death,
not only is there a potential income tax burden, but there may be estate
taxes as well. Estimates are that taxes could eat up as much as 70-75%
of retirement assets under certain circumstances. Careful planning concerning
retirement funds needs to be done. Please click here for additional information regarding
retirement assets.
Another option to consider in making a gift is to use life insurance
policies that are no longer needed or necessary. Please click here for more information about different
ways to make a gift of life insurance.
Often, donors are surprised both by how wonderful they feel about helping others and by the size of the gift they are able to make through a bequest.
Ann and David found their experiences with charitable giving enriched their hearts and lives.
Return to the Legacy Giving home page or to the Quick Guide to Legacy Gifts.
For more information or a confidential discussion of your charitable options, please email or call the Executive Director, Ron Buchinski, or the Donor Relation Manager, Susan Sutton, at (360) 733-5120.
Please note, individual financial circumstances will vary. The information on this site does not constitute legal or tax advice. Donor stories and photographs are for purposes of illustration only. As with all tax and estate planning, please consult your attorney or estate specialist. All material is copyrighted and is for viewing purposes only. Use of this site signifies your agreement with the terms of use. The content in this Planned Giving section has been developed for Lighthouse Mission by Future Focus. Please report any problems to section webmaster.
