Gift & Estate Planning

As we confront the challenges of the future, we know that the generosity of those who assist us will make all the difference in our success. That’s why we seek your support.
But we also want to make sure that you benefit from making a gift to us.

How does this happen? Of course, you have the satisfaction that comes from knowing you’ve made a difference in the lives of others. But in fact, the best gift plans also improve your financial and tax situation, often right away.

There are many ways that your philanthropic giving can blend with your own financial needs and tax planning. To design a gift that benefits the people and organizations you care about most, we recommend that you obtain the professional counsel of an attorney who specializes in gift and estate planning. We can work with your advisors to help you plan for tomorrow and receive maximum benefits today.

Benefits

A Current Will — A Vital Document
 Drafting a will may seem like a daunting task at first, until you realize all the good that comes from having a will. A bequest in your will lets you pass any amount you wish to us free of estate tax. You can give cash or specific property, a dollar amount or a percentage of your estate, with restrictions or without. To make sure your will accomplishes your goals according to your wishes, we recommend that you obtain the professional counsel of an attorney who specializes in probate and estate planning.

Benefits

Charitable Gift Annuity — Boost Your Rate of Return
The concept of a gift annuity is simple. You donate assets that we reinvest. We guarantee to pay you a fixed income for life (and, if desired, for another beneficiary’s lifetime). Then, the funds are available for our use. A charitable gift annuity is particularly attractive because the rates (based on your age) typically produce higher income than the yields from investments in the stock and bond markets. And when this aspect is combined with partially tax-free income, the effective rate of return is even higher.

Benefits

back to top



Life Insurance — A Versatile Tool for Many Purposes
When you first obtained your life insurance policies, you obviously felt a need for them. But perhaps you don’t need all that coverage today. Yet you still have those policies.
If you’re thinking about a contribution to us, a gift of your life insurance could be a sensible as well as generous course of action. You can also use life insurance to replace the value of a different gift. For example, you could donate stock to us because of the tax advantages and purchase life insurance to benefit your heirs in the amount they would have received had you left them the stock.

Benefits

Real Estate — A Tax-Wise Gift
Are you thinking of selling land or a building? If you sell your primary residence, you can exclude up to $250,000 ($500,000 if you’re married) of the gain. But this tax break doesn’t apply to other types of real estate, so you may have a better alternative. A charitable contribution of real estate — whether it’s your personal residence, a vacation home, a farm, commercial real estate or vacant land — will give you numerous advantages.
When you give your home or other real estate to us, you create an enduring testimonial of your interest in our mission. And what’s more, your personal satisfaction is complemented by valuable tax benefits.

Benefits:

Charitable Remainder Annuity Trust — A Gift to Us with Predictable Benefits to You
If you’re disappointed in the yield from your current investments in the stock and bond markets, yet you want to avoid the capital gains tax should you sell, try a charitable remainder annuity trust. This plan will pay you, year after year, the same dollar amount you choose at the outset. The income payments are fixed based on the starting valuation. Then after your lifetime (and the lifetime of a surviving beneficiary, if desired), the trust remainder is available to support our mission. The charitable remainder annuity trust is more than an eventual gift to us. It lets you give away the tree and still keep the fruit, because you receive an increased income from your donation.

Benefits

back to top

Charitable Remainder Unitrust — A Gift With Built-In Flexibility
A charitable remainder unitrust is like a combination of a gift and an investment plan. You place assets in trust and you (and/or another beneficiary) receive lifetime income from them, then we receive the remainder. With a unitrust, the amount you receive as income is a set percentage of the value of the trust assets, redetermined annually. You also have the option of choosing one of five variations of unitrust. A unitrust with a net income plus makeup provision, for example, pays only the actual trust yield, even if it is below the stated percentage. Then in later years, when performance is better, those deficiencies are made up.
This option is excellent for devising a supplemental retirement plan — we can provide you with more details.

Benefits

Charitable Lead Trust — Preserve an Inheritance
Are you concerned about the possibility of the government taking a huge part of the assets you were planning to leave your heirs? There’s a way to pass assets to your family with significant estate tax savings while at the same time making a gift to us. It’s called a charitable lead trust. After we receive income from assets in the trust for a period of years, the principal goes to your family, with estate or gift taxes usually reduced or even eliminated.The lead trust is an exceptional way to transfer property to your children or other heirs at minimal tax cost. It’s ideal if you’re willing to forgo investment income on an asset but don’t want to force your heirs to surrender the principal. With a lead trust, you carry out your philanthropic plans over the coming years and save on taxes.

Benefits

Benedictine Foundation of Oregon
PO Box 912, Mt. Angel, OR 97362-0912
503-845-2556 • FAX 503-845-2815

back to top