Category: Estate Planning

Shot of a group of hands holding on to each other against a white background

Your Legacy Society

Because August is “Make A Will” month, I’ve been writing each week about how you can encourage your donors to designate your nonprofit in their will. So far, I’ve focused on the importance of using phrases that work better than our industry estate-giving language. I’ve also conveyed the top facts that can guide you to raising more planned-giving revenue. Plus I shared the key sentences you’ll want to use in your donor communications. This week’s focus is on establishing, or advancing, your Legacy Society. Establishing a Legacy Society An absolutely essential aspect of a robust planned-giving program is thanking and

Read More +
ghows-LK-200539969-9bc58016

Astounding Facts About Estate Giving

Because August is “Make A Will” month, I’ve been writing each week about how you can encourage your donors to designate your nonprofit in their will. Last week I focused on the importance of using phrases that work better than our industry estate-giving language. Now, I’d like to convey certain facts that can guide you to raising more planned-giving revenue. Astounding Facts The most common type of planned gifts are “bequests,” which are gifts made through a will or trust. More than 85% of planned gifts are bequests. Other types of planned gifts include IRA designations, life insurance gifts, charitable

Read More +
phrases-that-encourage-estate-giving

Three Phrases That Encourage Estate Giving

Since August is “Make-A-Will” month, I’ve been writing about estate and legacy (planned) giving and wills, and plan to continue doing so for the next few weeks. Please let me know if the content helps you decide your course of action. Would You Make A “Gift” In Your Will? Did you know that it’s much more effective to ask your donors to make “Gifts in your will” rather than “Bequest Gifts?” Here’s why: Russell James, JD, PhD, CFP, a philanthropy researcher based at Texas Tech University, reports that, according to the latest donor surveys, asking people to consider “Gifts in your will”

Read More +
wills__-1024x486

It’s Make-A-Will Month

August is National Make-A-Will Month, an incredible opportunity for your nonprofit to increase its legacy or planned gifts. The easiest planned gift for your nonprofit’s supporters to make is to leave a portion of their estate to your organization as a bequest in their will. Yet it’s highly likely that your donors don’t know how to create a will. They need your guidance. In fact, six in ten parents either don’t have a will or have one that’s out of date. Sample The Wood Library of Canandaigua, New York managed the matter proactively by creating this brochure . The Library

Read More +
hrustall-qui1Ni2Avk8-unsplash

Donor Advised Funds: 7 Myths Debunked

By: Al Cantor November marks the tenth anniversary of Professor Ray Madoff’s New York Times op-ed calling for new rules that would accelerate grantmaking from donor-advised funds. Over the years since, as the amount of money in donor-advised funds has grown from $25 billion to $142 billion, the DAF industry has pushed back strongly against Madoff and other reformers, relying on a familiar set of arguments to justify the status quo. These assertions have long rung hollow. Now, thanks to research that has come to light in the last few months, it’s increasingly evident that the talking points of the DAF industry are utterly without

Read More +
florian-klauer-mk7D-4UCfmg-unsplash

Leverage Make-a-Will Month To Boost Planned Giving

By Laurence A. Pagnoni, MPA Baby Boomers will pass on more than $30 trillion in wealth to the next generation over the ensuing 25 years — and they are deciding right now who to leave their estates to. Further, the Coronavirus pandemic has stimulated a rapid rise in estate planning and legacy or planned giving, as well as a drop in cash gifts due to economic uncertainty. That’s why taking advantage now of August being the National Make-A-Will Month is a great fundraising step. You have a significant opportunity to increase your nonprofit’s planned gifts by making your donors aware

Read More +
Jar of coins with a plant growing. LAPA Fundraising

Biden’s Tax Policy: What’s Ahead for Nonprofits?

By Laurence A. Pagnoni, MPA The Biden administration has been making the case that to avoid paying the administration’s proposed additional taxes on high earners — an increase from 37% to 39.6% — wealthy Americans will give more to nonprofits. You can hear a detailed discussion about this on our recent webinar. Indeed, President Biden’s  plan to raise taxes  on high earners and the wealthy is likely to entice more rich Americans to give property or other assets to charities before they die to avoid paying large tax bills. For example, taxpayers making more than $400,000 per year would be taxed

Read More +
Request a Quote