Planned Giving: Leave a Legacy
No matter what the size of your estate, you can ensure that JFS is able to meet the needs of our community today and for many tomorrows to come. Planned giving helps to strengthen the JFS “Family” and may also provide you with significant tax advantages. Please sign your Letter of Intent today!
The most common form of planned giving is a bequest in your will specifying a gift to JFS. A bequest allows you flexibility and control over your legacy, and for some donors, it means a portion of your assets will go directly to a cause you care about rather than to the government in the form of taxes. If you already have a will, you may be able to make your gift by preparing a codicil (a brief written amendment) to your will, with the help of your estate-planning attorney.
Another method of planned giving is to contribute funds from a retirement plan such as an IRA or 401(k). This method usually offers the greatest income tax savings (and perhaps estate tax savings when you direct that the gift be made from your estate).
Life insurance is another source for charitable giving, one that is often overlooked by donors. This is done by transferring ownership of a life insurance policy to JFS or simply changing the policy’s beneficiary designation to JFS for some or all of the policy’s proceeds. This type of gift is particularly popular with donors who have policies that are no longer needed to provide for their families. It is also an attractive way to give if you want to provide significant support for JFS but are unable to make a large outright donation.
Remember: You should always involve your attorney and/or other advisors in your estate planning.
To learn more about your planned giving options or other ways to support JFS, please contact us at 717-233-1681 or by email. If you have already made arrangements for a planned gift to JFS, please let us know so that we can thank you!
Jewish Family Service is a 501(c)(3) organization. Contributions are deductible under section 170 of the IRS Code.
