Planned Giving
Gifts Through Your Estate
Giving through your estate is a process of discovery on ways to make charitable gifts now or after your lifetime while enjoying financial benefits for you and your family.
These types of gifts are sometimes referred to as "stop-and-think" gifts because they require some planning and, often, help from your professional advisors. Unlike cash donations, they are typically made from assets in your estate rather than disposable income, and are gifted to charity upon your death.
The most common planned gift is a bequest in your will or living trust. Other planned gifts include:
- A charitable gift annuity
- A charitable remainder trust
- A charitable lead trust
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Retirement plan assets
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Life insurance policies
A misconception is that estate giving is only for the "wealthy." The truth is, even people of modest means can make a difference through planned giving.
| Planning Tool | What Is It? | Your Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| Will |
A legal document outlining how you want your assets distributed when you die. |
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| Revocable Living Trust |
A trust that holds property for your benefit and then avoids probate at your death. |
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| Charitable Gift Annuity |
A contract in which a charity pays you income payments based upon your age and the amount of your gift. |
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| Charitable Lead Trust |
A trust that pays a charity an income before you or your heirs receives the remainder. |
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| Life Estate |
A gift of real estate that allows you to keep the rights of ownership; the property is distributed to the charity at your death. |
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| Outright Gifts of Assets |
Any gift given to charity such as cash, stocks, bonds, real estate, art, antiques, or life insurance. |
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Benefactor Designations
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A designation directs the distribution of a specific asset at your death and is outside of your existing estate planning document for a particular asset. |
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