Leave a lasting legacy and ensure Saint Mary’s mission endures for years to come.

Why is planned giving important? Planned gifts provide a promise of future funding for Saint Mary’s and help transform the lives of countless generations of seniors and their families. Any person, regardless of age or size of their estate, can make a planned gift and they can do so in a way that provides for their loved ones and the causes they care about. Many times, planned giving allows donors to make a significant gift that they may not have had the ability to contribute during their lifetime. Planned giving can take a number of forms; some of the most common types of planned gifts are outlined here. Most planned gifts do not cost a donor anything during their lifetime and often have tax advantages. Planned gifts are not set in stone and can be modified as your circumstances change. We recommend working with an attorney or trusted advisor to determine what will best meet your needs.

Bequests

One of the most impactful and simple ways to make a planned gift is to make a charitable bequest, allocating a portion of your estate to Saint Mary’s in your Will. Donors can direct the gift to be a specific amount of cash, a percentage of the total estate, or the remaining value of the estate after other payments have been made. If you are creating your Will or Living Trust, you will need to include specific language that outlines the support you wish to provide to Saint Mary’s

Retirement Plans

If you have an IRA or qualified retirement plan, such as a 401k or 403b, you may consider designating Saint Mary’s as a beneficiary. You may also consider making a gift to Saint Mary’s with a “qualified charitable distribution” or “IRA Charitable Rollover” from your Individual Retirement Account. Americans over the age of 70 ½ may distribute gifts (not to exceed $100,000 in a calendar year) to public charities tax-free.

Life Insurance

Much like retirement plans, you can designate Saint Mary’s as a beneficiary of any current life insurance policies. If you are carrying more insurance coverage than your family obligations now require, you may want to consider gifting an unneeded, paid-up policy.

Let Us Know Your Plans

We realize that as you consider a planned gift to Saint Mary’s, you must balance your family’s needs, your lifestyle and your financial resources with your desire to support seniors and their families.

If you've already included Saint Mary's in your plans, we hope you will let us know. We would love to personally thank you and welcome you as a member of our Estate Giving Benefactors! Donors who share their plans with Saint Mary's can gain confidence that their intentions are understood and will be followed through appropriately. Saint Mary's will honor requests for those who prefer to keep their plans and gifts anonymous.


Emma Berkstresser, Director of Marketing & Development

eberkstresser@smhe.org

(814) 836-4394