By JoAnn Shull
Many people think that leaving a legacy through your estate is something that only high-wealth individuals can do. This is not the case! After taking care of your family, of course, you have the option to leave something in your will for charities of your choice.
From simple bequests (“give X amount of dollars to a charity”) to more complex contingencies (“ X percentage of my estate a charity as long as these other conditions – such as taking care of my family – are met”), there are a variety of avenues you can take to support the organizations and causes that mean most to you. Including charities as the beneficiaries of an annuity, life insurance policy, or IRA are other options. Sometimes charitable giving through your estate can also have a tax benefit for your heirs. Your financial or tax advisor would be the best person to contact about what giving avenues would work best for you.
At Newman, one of our largest estate gifts came from Mary Nell Porter whose gift at her passing allowed Newman to begin the Campus Ministry Endowment. The resources provided by this endowment have allowed Newman to expand our reach on campus to share the Good News. Her legacy and heart for the Newman community lives on through our ministries here, many years after her passing.
Sometimes, Newman is not aware that someone has included Newman in their will until after the person passes. While we are still grateful for their forethought and generosity, we do miss being able to thank them in person.
Some people have informed us of their plans to include Newman in their will. While these plans are often modified for one reason or another, it is still a gift for us to be able to thank the donor and have a conversation with them about their desires for how we should use the gift.
In 2018, we established the Cor ad Cor Circle which recognizes those who have made an investment in the future of Newman. This spring, we plan to publicly recognize those members – both living and deceased – who have included Newman in their estate plans.
You, too, can make a difference and ensure that Newman’s mission to serve the Catholic community on campus and in Columbia will be sustained in the future. If you have already or are thinking about including Newman in your will, we ask that you reach out so that we can thank you and (if given permission by you) share in our thanks publicly. Of important note, while we share names with permission, we would never share the details or amounts of a gift. We wish to share our gratitude for your intentions and desire to share of the gifts the Lord has given you; not dollar amounts.
If you have already made plans or are interested in joining the Cor Ad Cor Circle through a planned gift, please contact JoAnn Shull ([email protected] or call the office) by March 1. We plan on formalizing the founding members of the Circle in March and wish to include as many people as possible in our formal “kick-off” year.