Turn your support for Catholic children’s education into action and be an inspiration to others by remembering Our Lady of Guadalupe School in your will, trust or other planned gift.
No gift has a more lasting impact.
Planned gifts, including gifts from your will or estate, are gifts that anyone can make that may benefit you, your family, and Our Lady of Guadalupe School today or in the future. You can take advantage of gifts that may help your situation from a tax standpoint today, or gifts that can benefit you and your family upon your passing, while creating an enduring legacy for the future.
If you wish to support Our Lady of Guadalupe School through a planned gift, please contact Carla Mayuri, Director of Development, at 206-935-0651or at cmayuri@guadalupe-school.org
Already included Our Lady of Guadalupe School in your will or estate plan? Let us know.
Confused? Concerned about what Planned Giving may involve and how complicated the process might be? Concerned about any risks it might present to you and your family? Don’t know where you would start?
We’re here to help! Below are three quick actions steps you can take if you are interested in considering making a planned gift to Our Lady of Guadalupe School:
- Contact Carla Mayuri, Director of Development
- Seek the advice of your financial or legal advisor.
- Keep reading!
What Is Planned Giving? Planned giving is a wonderful way to make a larger, lasting contribution to a cause you care about, such as Our Lady of Guadalupe School. Please take a moment to read this guide, learn about planned giving, and how to get started.
What Does “Planned Giving” Mean? Planned Giving is the practice of designating a major gift to a charitable organization in life or as part of an Estate Plan. The gift could include cash, real estate, life insurance, equity, or personal property. Planned Giving is sometimes referred to as Legacy Giving.
Planned Giving is often done as someone creates an Estate Plan, as there are certain investment or tax strategies that could be done to maximize the gift’s impact. If the gift is part of the Estate Plan it will typically be distributed after the donor has passed away.
What Are the Benefits of Planned Giving? There are numerous benefits associated with Planned Giving but perhaps the most obvious is the support it would provide to Our Lady of Guadalupe School considering the significant impact these kind of gifts have on the future of an organization.
It would also give you, as the donor, a chance to establish a legacy and can be a great way to leave a memory of life. Other benefits include:
- Planned Giving represents the opportunity to leave a major gift that may not have been possible in their lifetime due to financial constraints.
- Charitable Gifts are often exempt from Estate Tax, meaning more of the gift would go directly to the organization.
- Donors can avoid capital gains taxes when they transfer assets as part of a Planned Gift — again maximizing the contribution to charity.
Planned Giving sounds, at times, a bit too “grand”, only suitable for wealthy people. I would like to support OLG but don’t have a “estate” or large “assets”. There are many different kinds of planned gifts. Other way to see planned gifts are simply as “gifts in a will” which can apply to almost everyone. Even if you don’t have any property or assets but maybe you have life insurance, you can always designate Our Lady of Guadalupe as your main or partial beneficiary.
How Does Planned Giving Work? Planned Giving typically starts during the Estate Planning process, or when a donor realizes they want to make a significant contribution to an organization such as OLG. Most major gifts are organized with the help of an attorney or Estate Planning lawyer; this is because there are various legal and tax strategies available that can maximize the impact of the gift.
The process of Planned Giving is commonly done as individuals make an Estate Plan, as this is the perfect time to set aside assets. The gift could be established in your Last Will and Testament or created as part of a Trust. An Estate Planning lawyer will be able to guide you through the best structure based on your goals and finances.
Why Is Planned Giving Important? Planned Giving is important because of the financial impact it can have on an organization such as our school. Receiving one could result in years of financial support, the development of new programs, the opportunity to expand overall reach and so much more.
Types of Planned Giving: There are a few different ways to make a major gift, each with the potential to significantly impact OLG. Here are the three main types of Planned Gifts to be aware of:
- Outright Gifts: Outright Gifts are one time contributions made directly to OLG. Outright Gifts could include cash, personal property, securities, or stocks. For example, you could donate a piece of real estate to the school. The school could then either use the property, or sell it and keep the proceeds.
- Gifts That Return Income: Gifts that return income refer to anything that continuously would provides financial support to OLG. A “Charitable Remainder Trust” would be considered a gift that returns income, as the Trust would annually pay either a fixed percentage or set dollar amount to the school.
- Gifts Payable Upon the Donor’s Death: Gifts payable upon the donor’s death are typically laid out within an Estate Plan, and will generally avoid estate tax. An example would be if you named Our Lady of Guadalupe School as the beneficiary of your life insurance policy.
Planned Giving Calculator: There is not an exact amount you must set aside when planning a major gift -in fact each one is going to look entirely different. There are various types of planned gifts, and organizations will utilize them in different ways. If you are trying to estimate how much to leave to OLG or how to maximize your contribution, the best thing to do is meet with an Estate Planning lawyer or contact the school directly.
How to Get Started? Planned Giving can be a relatively straightforward process, especially if you leave the financial planning in the hands of a good attorney. If you are considering making a major gift, here are a few steps you can take to get started:
- Review your finances and long term goals as you start Estate Planning. A great time to start gift planning is when you create your Last Will and Testament. Review any assets or property you could potentially leave to an organization such as OLG.
- Meet with an Estate Planning lawyer to discuss the best strategy for making your gift. This will involve identifying the right type of Planned Gift for your goals, and taking any extra steps to maximize its effectiveness.
- Planned Giving often represents the opportunity to make the largest contribution of your life to an organization. This gesture can not only change the financial landscape of our school but it is also a great way to preserve your legacy. Consider how Planned Giving can fit into your Estate Planning process today.
- Let your OLG team know if we can be of any assistance!
