One Simple Way To Leave A Rich Legacy

My wife and I initially thought we were too young to worry about wills and trusts. We still do, although we are not so young anymore…

Everything changed when we had our daughter, Eva, who is now 21 years old! We decided we needed to do the responsible thing and make plans to look after her should one or both of us die.

As we were making out our wills and trust agreements, both my wife and I agreed that while we wanted to make sure that Eva would be taken care of, we also wanted to be sure that the charities we care about would receive something as well.

Our attorney guided us on how to do it. He suggested that rather than do an elaborate bequest in our wills, it would be much simpler and faster for us to simply designate a portion of one of our IRAs to Episcopal Relief & Development. And so, we each went online and designated a certain percentage of our IRAs to various charities, including Episcopal Relief & Development. It took less than five minutes and couldn’t have been simpler.

This method has the advantage of allowing your gift to increase as the value of your IRA increases over time. It also avoids having to re-write wills or other estate documents if you already have your affairs in order. Making a planned gift is not a hard thing to do and you don’t need to be a major philanthropist to do it, either.

Episcopal Relief & Development asks every member of the board to make provisions for Episcopal Relief & Development in their will.  I often suggest that new members of the board use this method of designating a portion of an IRA to Episcopal Relief & Development. At one meeting we had three members of the board join the Matthew 25 Legacy Society by doing it during the meeting!

You can make a critical difference to those in need around the world through this simple way of making a planned gift. 

We are grateful to our Matthew 25 Legacy Society members, who sustain the work of Episcopal Relief & Development through planned gifts such as bequests, life income gifts and charitable trusts. 

Discover how you can become a member of the Matthew 25 Legacy Society today!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

 Robert W. Radtke is the President of Episcopal Relief & Development.

 Image: Rob with Wife and Daughter.

NOTE: This blog does not constitute professional legal or financial advice.  Everyone should consult with their financial and legal advisors before making a planned gift.