What is Planned Giving?

Planned giving refers to gifts made from assets accumulated during one's lifetime rather than from current income. Usually these gifts are part of an overall estate plan. Here are some examples:

• a will--providing for family, the church and favorite charities through a bequest made at the time of the last will and testament
• appreciated property--allowing assets such as securities, objects of value, and real estate to be transferred to the church, often with significant tax advantages to the donor
• a life insurance policy--a large gift made with very little cost by making the church the named beneficiary
• a Charitable Remainder Trust--This allows the donor to receive income for life while making a major gift to the church. This is the most popular method today.
• a Charitable Lead Trust--This allows a donor to give present income from property to the church for a period of years while retaining the right to give the asset to a family member or other beneficiary
• a retirement plan or IRA--The church can be named as the beneficiary of any remaining assets in your IRA or retirement plan.
• a Life Estate--This allows a donor to give a house, farm, or vacation home to a named beneficiary while retaining the use of the property for life.

Resources

For more information, contact Bill Lindsay at blindsay@dioswva.org or log on to the Episcopal Church Foundation web site. For more information about this diocese's program, see:

• Funding Future Ministry
• The Legacy Society