It’s something no one enjoys talking about, but none of us is living forever. As much as we’d all rather avoid the topic, it’s a fact that each of us will someday breathe our last breath and move on to meet our maker.
While we travel onto heaven or whatever afterlife we may believe in, those we’ll leave behind will have their memories of us, hopefully loving ones, and they will also still have life’s many joys – and challenges – facing them. What if we could help them, even when we’ve passed on?
We can, in fact. Leaving a philanthropic legacy gift is a beautiful way to be remembered and to continue to help those we care about long after we are gone. We can plan and set up now a future gift for a cause we care deeply about. A legacy gift will designate some part of our estate as a donation to a nonprofit. This will allow us to create a beautiful impact on the same cause we care so much about in the future.
The reason this conversation is important to our supporters is the same that it is important to Crossroads. The organization – school and clinic – can’t operate and survive without the philanthropic support that its supporters provide. Those of us who want to make an impact on the future generations of Crossroads can help by considering this concept now, while we are still on this side of the grass. Interestingly, in many cases, supporters who have never been able to make a large gift in their lifetimes are able to do so in passing on due to the funds that become available at that time. This makes planning a future gift doable for many folks – not just wealthy ones. Also, there may be tax benefits for the estate that has planned for a gift to a nonprofit.
Learn more! There is a great breakdown of related information in this article found on PlannedGiving.com: http://www.cfhoward.org/legacy_plan.html#gsc.tab=0
SAMPLE LANGUAGE FOR BEQUESTS IN A WILL
If you’d like to include Crossroads in your will, please speak with your attorney. Here are some examples of ways gifts are made, as found at http://www.cfhoward.org/legacy_plan.html#gsc.tab=0 :
UNRESTRICTED GIFT: “I give, devise, and bequeath to Crossroads Center for Children, a nonprofit organization, the sum of _________ Dollars ($____________).”
SPECIFIC PERCENTAGE: “I give, devise, and bequeath to Crossroads Center for Children, a nonprofit organization, an amount equal to _____________ percent (_______%) of the value of my estate at the time of my death.”
RESIDUAL BEQUEST: “I give, devise, and bequeath all of the residue of my estate, both real and personal, to Crossroads Center for Children, a nonprofit organization,”
CONTINGENT BEQUEST: “If the above-named beneficiaries should predecease me, then I hereby give and bequeath all of my property and estate to the Crossroads Center for Children, a nonprofit organization.”[/pb_box_paragraph]
When you leave a legacy you’ll ensure that the program you cherish lives on. Reach out with questions, or to let us know if your plans include us.