Maximizing Your Legacy: Strategic Ways to Include Charities in Your Estate Plan

Leaving a legacy through charitable bequests is not just for the wealthy. Sharon Waters highlighted in her AARP article that anyone can make a lasting impact by including charities in their estate plan. This article explores various strategies to do so effectively.

Understanding the Impact of Charitable Bequests

Charitable bequests are instructions to allocate assets to charitable organizations within a will or estate plan. These bequests can create a lasting impact, supporting causes and organizations that matter to you long after you’re gone. Even modest bequests can significantly contribute to a charity’s mission.

Assessing Your Options for Charitable Giving

There are several ways to include charities in your estate plan:

Wills and Trusts: Directly listing charities in your will or trust.
Beneficiary Designations: Naming charities as beneficiaries on retirement accounts or life insurance policies.
Charitable Remainder Trusts: Providing income to beneficiaries for a period before transferring the remainder to a charity.
Charitable Gift Annuities: A charity pays a fixed annuity to the donor or another beneficiary in exchange for a gift.

Tax Implications and Benefits

Charitable bequests can offer tax benefits. Donations of cash, property, or stocks can potentially reduce estate taxes. It’s essential to consult with a financial advisor to understand the specific tax implications and benefits based on your estate’s size and the nature of your bequest.

Choosing the Right Charities

Selecting charities that align with your values is crucial—research potential charities for their effectiveness and legitimacy. Tools like Charity Navigator or GuideStar can provide valuable insights into a charity’s operations and impact.

The Role of Legal and Financial Advisors

Professional advisors play a critical role in estate planning. They can help you navigate complex tax laws and honor your charitable wishes. Regular reviews of your estate plan with these professionals are essential to keep it aligned with your goals.

Donor-Advised Funds: A Flexible Option

Donor-advised funds (DAFs) offer flexibility. You can contribute to the fund and receive a tax deduction in the same year, then recommend grants to charities over time. This option is ideal for those who wish to maintain flexibility in their charitable giving.

Making Your Charitable Intentions Clear

Ensure that your estate documents clearly state your charitable intentions. Specify the charities by their full legal names and consider using percentages rather than fixed amounts to account for value fluctuations in your estate.

The Personal Side of Charitable Bequests

Including a charitable bequest in your estate plan can be deeply fulfilling. It’s an opportunity to support causes you care about and leave a positive mark on the world. Consider the broader impact of your giving beyond the financial aspects.

Conclusion

Incorporating charities into your estate plan requires thoughtful consideration and planning. Consult with legal and financial professionals to ensure that your wishes are effectively executed. Remember, the act of giving, as emphasized by Sharon Waters, is significant regardless of the amount. Your charitable bequest can make a meaningful difference.

Additional Resources

For further reading and research on estate planning and charitable giving, consider the following resources:

Contact estate planning attorneys or financial advisors specializing in charitable giving for professional advice.

Is Mick Jagger Thinking about Estate Planning?

The “Satisfaction” singer, who is putting out a new album with the band, said that while the Rolling Stones have no plans right now to sell their post-1971 catalog — which includes Black and Blue and Tattoo You — but have some ideas of what to do with it eventually.

People’s recent article entitled, “Mick Jagger Hints Rolling Stones May Leave $500M Album Fortune to Charity to ‘Do Some Good in the World,’” reports that in a new interview with WSJ Magazine, the 80-year-old rock legend said they could give the approximately half a billion dollars they would get from selling it to their heirs, but “the children don’t need $500 million to live well. Come on.”

So he said that “maybe” the money could go to charity instead. “You maybe do some good in the world,” added Jagger.

Meanwhile, he and fellow bandmembers Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood are releasing another album. Their upcoming release, Hackney Diamonds, is the band’s first album of original music in 18 years.

Jagger noted to WSJ that there are a number of guests featured on the album, including Paul McCartney, who contributed bass, Elton John and Stevie Wonder on the piano, and Lady Gaga, who contributed vocals to their song “Sweet Sound of Heaven,” while working in the same studio as the band during one session.

Jagger revealed that he had put a deadline pressure on the group to keep the album on track, saying, “What I want to do is write some songs, go into the studio, and finish the record by Valentine’s Day. Which was just a day I picked out of the hat — but everyone can remember it. And then we’ll go on tour with it, the way we used to.”

When Richards, 79, pushed back, Jagger said he told him, “‘It may never happen, Keith, but that’s the aim. We’re going to have a f—ing deadline.’ ”

“Otherwise, we’re just going to go into the studio, for two weeks, and come out again, and then six weeks later, we’re going to go back in there. Like, no. Let’s make a deadline,” he added.

In the end, the deadline pressure worked. The band recorded basic tracks in four weeks, missing their Valentine’s Day target by just a few weeks.

In an emotional moment, the trio also touched on what it was like to record the album without their longtime drummer, Charlie Watts, who died in August 2021 at age 80.

“Ever since Charlie’s gone it’s different, he’s number four,” Richards said. “He’s missing, he’s up there. Of course he’s missed incredibly.”

Reference: People (Oct. 3, 2023) “Mick Jagger Hints Rolling Stones May Leave $500M Album Fortune to Charity to ‘Do Some Good in the World’”

Can I Leave Money to My School in My Estate Plan?

Mahlon “Jack” Kohler passed away in September 2021, at the age of 96. In his will, he left $40,000 to Northeast Community College in Norfolk, Nebraska for nursing and optometry scholarships. The gift has been placed in an endowment and will provide assistance for nursing students in perpetuity.

News Channel Nebraska’s recent article entitled “Norfolk man leaves $40,000 to Northeast Community College for nursing scholarships” reports that, prior to graduating high school, Mr. Kohler was called to duty by the United States Navy in 1943.

After basic training, he was sent to the Pacific Theatre where he was stationed at Guadalcanal, New Guinea, Russell and Amerilites Islands. He then returned to the Brooklyn, New York Naval Base in 1945. He received an honorable discharge on May 6, 1946.

After his discharge from the Navy, Mr. Kohler moved back to Norfolk and worked for American Optical Company for 33 years. He was recognized as a World War II Honorary Sentinel in front of over 86,000 fans at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln during a Cornhusker football game just after celebrating his 95th birthday.

“Jack lived in the Norfolk area for many years and was always fond of education,” said his stepson, Ronald Kotrous. “He decided to choose nursing (for his benevolence) because of the people. In the last few years, they were really good to Jack and to my mom, so they wanted to give back to that community.”

“Endowed scholarships are a great way to create a legacy,” said Dr. Tracy Kruse, vice president of development and external affairs at Northeast and executive director of the Northeast Foundation. “The principal of an endowment is invested, and scholarships are paid from the earnings.”

Kruse encouraged others to consider Northeast Community College in their estate planning.

“Planned giving provides an opportunity to make a large gift while still caring for your loved ones,” she said. “An estate gift is probably the largest charitable donation you will ever make, and the best opportunity to leave a lasting legacy.”

Reference: News Channel Nebraska (Nov. 29, 2022) “Norfolk man leaves $40,000 to Northeast Community College for nursing scholarships”

Giving to My Favorite Charity in Estate Plan

If you’d like to leave some or all of your money to a charity, Go Banking Rates’ recent article entitled “How To Leave Your Inheritance to an Organization” provides what you need to know about charitable giving as part of your estate plan.

Make Sure the Organization Accepts Donations. Unless you have a formal agreement with the charity stating they’ll accept the inheritance, the confirmation isn’t a binding commitment. As a result, you should ask the organization if there’s any form language that they may want you to add to your will or trust as part of a specific bequest. If the charity isn’t currently able to accept this kind of donation, look at what they will accept or if other charities with a similar mission will accept it.
Set the Amount You Want the Charity To Receive. Some people want to leave the estate tax exemption — the maximum amount that can pass without tax — to individuals and leave the rest to charity. Because the estate tax exemption is subject to change and the value of your assets will change, the amount the charity will get will probably change from when the planning is completed.
Have a Plan B in the Event that the Charity Doesn’t Exist After Your Death. Meet with your estate planning attorney and decide what happens to the bequest if the organization you’re donating to no longer exists. You may plan ahead to pass along the inheritance to another organization and make sure it receives the funds. You could also have the inheritance go back into the general distributions in your will.
State How You Want Your Gift to Be Used. If there is a certain way that you’d like the charity to use the inheritance, you can certainly inquire with the organization and learn more. Find out if the charity accepts this type of restriction, how long it may last and what happens if the charity no longer uses it for this purpose.

As you draft charitable planning provisions, make sure you do so alongside an experienced estate planning attorney.

The provisions in your will should be specific about your desires and provide enough flexibility to your personal representative, executor, or trustee to be modified based on the conditions at the time of your death.

Reference: Go Banking Rates (August 26, 2022) “How To Leave Your Inheritance to an Organization”

The Basics of Estate Planning

No matter how BIG or small your net worth is, estate planning is a process that ensures your assets are handed down the way you want after you die.

Forbes’ recent article entitled “Estate Planning Basics” explains that everybody has an estate.

An estate is nothing more or less than the sum total of your assets and possessions of value. This includes:

Your car
Your home
Financial accounts
Investments; and
Personal property.

Estate planning is the process of deciding which people or organizations are to get your possessions or assets after you’ve died.

It’s also how you leave directions for managing your care and assets if you are incapacitated and unable to make financial or medical decisions. That is done with powers of attorney, a healthcare directive and a living will.

Your estate plan details who gets your assets. It also designates who can make critical healthcare and financial decisions on your behalf should you become incapacitated. If you have minor children, your estate plan also lets you designate their legal guardians, in case you die before they reach 18. It also allows you to name adults to safeguard their financial interests.

Your estate plan directs assets to specific entities or people in a legally binding manner. If you want your daughter to have your coin collection or your favorite animal rescue organization to get $500, it’s all mapped out in your estate plan.

You can also create a trust to safeguard a minor child’s assets until they reach a certain age. You can also keep assets out of probate. That way, your beneficiaries can easily access things like your home or bank accounts.

All estate plans should include documents that cover three main areas: asset transfer, medical needs and financial decisions. Ask an experienced estate planning attorney to help you create your estate plan.

Reference: Forbes (Nov. 16, 2022) “Estate Planning Basics”

When Should I Hire an Estate Planning Attorney?

Kiplinger’s recent article entitled “Should I Hire an Estate Planning Attorney Now That I Am a Widow?” describes some situations where an experienced estate planning attorney is really required:

Estates with many types of complicated assets. Hiring an experienced estate planning attorney is a must for more complicated estates. These are estates with multiple investments, numerous assets, cryptocurrency, hedge funds, private equity, or a business. Some estates also include significant real estate, including vacation homes, commercial properties and timeshares. Managing, appraising and selling a business, real estate and complex investments are all jobs that require some expertise and experience. In addition, valuing private equity investments and certain hedge funds is also not straightforward and can require the services of an expert.

The estate might owe federal or state estate tax. In some estates, there are time-sensitive decisions that require somewhat immediate attention. Even if all assets were held jointly and court involvement is unnecessary, hiring a knowledgeable trust and estate lawyer may have real tax benefits. There are many planning strategies from which testators and their heirs can benefit. For example, the will or an estate tax return may need to be filed to transfer the deceased spouse’s unused Federal Estate Unified Tax Credit to the surviving spouse. The decision whether to transfer to an unused unified tax credit to the surviving spouse is not obvious and requires guidance from an experienced estate planning attorney.

Many states also impose their own estate taxes, and many of these states impose taxes on an estate valued at $1 million or more. Therefore, when you add the value of a home, investments and life insurance proceeds, many Americans will find themselves on the wrong side of the state exemption and owe estate taxes.

The family is fighting. Family disputes often emerge after the death of a parent. It’s stressful, and emotions run high. No one is really operating at their best. If unhappy family members want to contest the will or are threatening a lawsuit, you’ll also need guidance from an experienced estate planning attorney. These fights can result in time-intensive and costly lawsuits. The sooner you get legal advice from a probate attorney, the better chance you have of avoiding this.

Complicated beneficiary plans. Some wills have tricky beneficiary designations that leave assets to one child but nothing to another. Others could include charitable bequests or leave assets to many beneficiaries.

Talk to an experienced attorney, whose primary focus is estate and trust law.

Reference: Kiplinger (July 5, 2022) “Should I Hire an Estate Planning Attorney Now That I Am a Widow?”

How Did Rock Star’s Estate Planning Help Future Musicians?

The Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation, a nonprofit supporting music education in at-risk public schools, announced it had received a “transformative donation” from the late Eddie Van Halen.

MSN’s recent article on this is entitled “Eddie Van Halen left a huge donation in his will to support music education for kids”

Before his death in October 2020, Van Halen was involved with the foundation and supported the nonprofit over the years.

He made numerous appearances at the organization’s events and took part in various opportunities helping teach music to kids. As part of his will, Van Halen made a considerable donation that will have a profound effect on the foundation for many years.

The Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation was inspired by the movie titled Mr. Holland’s Opus. It is the story of the profound effect a dedicated music teacher had on generations of students. Michael Kamen, who wrote the score for the film, started the foundation in 1996 as his commitment to the future of music education.

The foundation says that Van Halen’s donation “will enable MHOF to fulfill requests from a greater number of schools, add employees to its staff, improve the foundation’s technology and more.”

“Eddie’s support and friendship over the years meant the world to us and to his fans. His passion for music and our work created a strong bond, which is evident in his extraordinary bequest,” Felice Mancini, President and CEO of MHOF said in a statement.

“To know how much our foundation meant to Eddie is intensely humbling and gratifying to all of us – and we know that Eddie’s family is confident that his powerful legacy and values live on through our efforts.”

Van Halen’s son, Wolfgang Van Halen, will continue the family’s involvement and support of the organization. He has donated proceeds from his single “Distance” to the foundation in support of school music programs across the country and as a dedication to his father.

“Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation and the work they do for music education was always something that was important to my father,” Van Halen said in a statement. “I am incredibly proud to help facilitate this donation as he wished. Mr. Holland’s Opus are champions for our musicians of the future, and it is my privilege to continue supporting that mission and carrying on my pop’s legacy.”

Reference: MSN (April 21, 2022) “Eddie Van Halen left a huge donation in his will to support music education for kids”

My Children Really Don’t Want My Stuff?

Next Avenue’s recent article entitled “Your Top 10 Objects Your Kids Don’t Want” gives us a list of these items and what to do with them.

Books. Unless your grown children are professors, they don’t want your books. If you think the book is rare, call a book antiquarian.

Paper Ephemera. Snapshots, old greeting cards and postcards are called paper ephemera. Did you know that? Me neither. Old photos are not worth anything, unless the subject is a celebrity or linked with an important historical event. Old greeting cards are not valuable, unless handmade by a famous artist or sent by a celebrity. Postcards are valued mainly for the stamps. Take all your family snapshots and have them made into digital files. The other option is to sell those old snapshots to greeting card publishers who use them on funny cards or give family photos to image archive businesses, like Getty. If the archive is a not-for-profit, take the donation write-off.

Steamer Trunks, Sewing Machines and Film Projectors. Thrift stores are full of these items. Therefore, unless your family member was a professional and the item is top-notch, yours can go there as well.

Porcelain Figurine Collections and Bradford Exchange Pieces. Your collections of frogs, shoes, flowers, and trolls, as well your Hummel’s, and Precious Moments won’t be wanted by the children. See if you can find a retirement home that does a gift exchange at Christmas and donate the figurines. If you want to hold on to a memory of your mom’s collection, have a professional photographer take a photo for your wall. Collector’s plates won’t sell. Donate these as well.

Silver-Plated Stuff. Your children won’t polish silverplate, so if you give them platters, serving bowls, tea services and candelabra, you won’t enhance your standing. The exception may be silver-plated items from Tiffany or Cartier but give these away to any place or person who will take it.

Heavy, Dark, Antique Furniture. There’s still a market for this sort of furniture at secondhand shops. However, you’ll get less than a quarter of purchase price, if you sell on consignment. Unless your furniture is mid-century modern, there’s a good chance you will have to pay someone to take it off your hands. Instead, donate it and take a non-cash charitable contribution using fair market valuation.

Persian Rugs. No, these aren’t really in vogue for younger adults. However, the high-end market is still collecting in certain parts of the country, like Martha’s Vineyard. However, unless the rug is rare, it’s one of the hardest things to sell these days. If you think the value of the rug is below $2,000, it will be a hard sell. Like antique furniture, it may be best to donate these.

Linens. No, they don’t want them. They might not even own an iron or ironing board, and they definitely don’t set that kind of table. Give these to needlewomen who make handmade Christening clothes, wedding dresses and quinceañera gowns. You may also donate linens to costume shops of theaters and deduct the donation. A site like P4a.com has auction results to establish the fair market value of such objects.

Sterling Silver Flatware and Crystal Wine Services. Matching sets of sterling flatware are tough to sell because they rarely go for “antique” value. Do the children do a lot of formal entertaining? The same is true for crystal. These sets are too precious, and the wine they hold is too small a portion. Sites like Replacements.com offer matching services for people who do enjoy silver flatware and have recognized patterns. Because they sell per piece, and therefore buy per piece, sellers get a rather good price.

Fine Porcelain Dinnerware. Your grown children may not want to store four sets of fancy porcelain dinnerware and won’t see the benefit of unpacking it once a year for a holiday or event. China is something to consider selling. Know your pattern to get a quote. Some replacement companies buy per piece, so the aggregate of the selling price is always more than a bulk sale at a consignment store, which might be the only other option.

Reference: Next Avenue (March 1, 2018) “Your Top 10 Objects Your Kids Don’t Want”

Couple’s Charitable Remainder Trust Helps University Students

Florida resident Robert Larson of Leesburg recently donated $1.4 million to the Minnesota State University, Mankato in honor of his late wife, Virginia, the Minnesota State University, Mankato recently announced.

A story entitled “Minnesota State Mankato Receives $1.4 Million Gift to Support Education, Music, ROTC Scholarships” said that Larson’s gift will support scholarships for students studying elementary education (75%) and music (20%), and the remaining 5% is earmarked to establish Minnesota State Mankato’s first Reserve Officer Training Corps endowment. At least 14 students annually will receive scholarships as a result of the gift.

“This gift is especially meaningful because of the many years that Robert and Virginia Larson spent planning for it,” said Minnesota State University, Mankato President Edward Inch.“ Students will benefit from this gift for many generations to come.”

The Larson’s originally planned their gift by creating the university’s first-ever charitable remainder trust in 1987. The trust was set up to benefit University students after both Robert and Virginia died.

A charitable remainder trust (CRT) is a gift of cash or other property to an irrevocable trust. The donor gets to keep an income stream from the trust for a term of years or for life. The charity then gets the remaining trust assets at the conclusion of the trust term. The donor receives an immediate income tax charitable deduction when the CRT is funded, based on the present value of the assets that will eventually go to the named charity.

Mr. Larson later decided he wanted to give a larger sum to the university to be able to have an effect on students while he was still living. Therefore, he decided to forego the annual payments he received and terminated the charitable remainder trust early.

His wife Virginia graduated from Minnesota State Mankato in 1961 with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education. She began teaching fourth grade in Lakeville, Minnesota. She then taught third grade in Poway, California, and finally taught fourth grade and English as a second language in Chula Vista, California. She died in 2020.

“Virginia really enjoyed her time as a student at Minnesota State Mankato, and we started planning for this gift out of a desire to help students,” said Robert Larson.

Reference: Minnesota State University, Mankato (August 12, 2021) “Minnesota State Mankato Receives $1.4 Million Gift to Support Education, Music, ROTC Scholarships”

Do I Really Need a Will?

No one enjoys pondering their own mortality, but we can all help unburden our loved ones after we’ve gone, by creating a will.

Bankrate’s recent article entitled “Why it’s important for every adult to get a will” explains why you need a will and how to protect what you most cherish after you pass away.

Many people think that a will must be a complicated document full of confusing legal jargon. However, the purpose of a will is really very simple despite its importance. A will is a legal document that disposes of your property at your death. In addition, wills address several issues required to be resolved after death, such as who will care for your children, who will make decisions about your estate and who will receive your assets? Every adult should have a will that speaks to these issues.

There are several types of wills which are customized based on your property and assets. Some people have specific instructions regarding special bequests at their death, and others pass everything to a surviving spouse and children.

Testamentary will. This will is prepared in advance and is signed in front of witnesses. This is the most common type of will.

Holographic will. This is a will that is written by hand and is frequently a last resort in emergency situations. It is not valid in all states.

Oral will. This is a verbal will that’s spoken in front of witnesses. However, most courts prefer instructions in writing. As a result, an oral will isn’t a form that is widely recognized or recommended.

Mutual will. A couple can create a joint will, so that when one spouse dies, the other remains bound by the existing will’s terms.

Pour-over will. This type of will is used when you plan to “pour” your assets into a previously established trust at your death.

There are many reasons why you should have a will. A will can:

Clearly identify ownership of your property
Name a legal guardian for your children
Shorten the legal process of assigning your assets
Make donations of assets to charitable organizations
Make specific gifts; and
Save on estate tax.

Speak to an experienced estate planning attorney about the right will for your situation.

Reference: Bankrate (Nov. 6, 2020) “Why it’s important for every adult to get a will”

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