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Wills and Bequests
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
Diagram
Perhaps the worst word ever heard in probate is intestate, dying without a will. Dying intestate prolongs the distribution of assets and in some cases precludes heirs from benefiting from a decedent's estate. Dying intestate empowers the state in which the person died to distribute the assets of the person who died according to the laws of that state.
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Everyone should have a will. If you have not written a will yet, regardless of your charitable intent, please consider this for it is a gift to your loved ones. A will ensures that assets are distributed as planned, and that other property is passed on per the decedent's wishes.
David and Ann originally established a fund that would help purchase needed equipment, supplies, and provide for maintenance. They had made an outright gift of some appreciated stock. It was later, after their experiences with the staff, that they 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 met with some of the people involved who are on the front lines - doing the work. We've even been able to help a little ourselves. I can't describe how good it
feels to sit with these people, to hear them describe their dreams and ambitions and how we've helped. What a joy to realize that we have become a part of their future and that these people have literally 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 Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay. 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.
Ann and David found their experience enriched their hearts and lives. Often donors are surprised by just how wonderful the giving experience is.
For more information or a confidential discussion of your charitable options, please email or call Dawn Kuhn, the Vice President for Individual Giving, at (727) 687-9190.
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 Big Brothers Big Sisters by Future Focus. Please report any problems to section webmaster.
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