Planned gifts create opportunities for the Rushford Foundation and our donors to invest in the organization's mission.
Determining what gift is right for you is just as important as making the gift. There are a variety of easy giving options from which you can choose – from naming the Rushford Foundation as a beneficiary in your will to a more complex charitable gift annuity. Ultimately the best plan for you will balance what you wish to accomplish for yourself, your family and your charitable interests in your overall estate and financial plans.
Bequests Through Your Will
One of the simplest ways to give is through your estate. You can make a gift bequest in your will to the Rushford Foundation for a specific dollar amount, a percentage of your estate or the remainder of your estate after you have provided for others.
CDs, Savings Accounts, Brokerage Accounts, and Checking Accounts with P.O.D. Provisions
P.O.D. means “Payable on Death.” By adding a P.O.D. provision to an existing account, you retain full ownership and full control of the account during your lifetime. At your death, the account balance is immediately paid to your named beneficiary. The Rushford Foundation can receive this benefit without going through the probate process.
Charitable Gift Annuity
In exchange for a gift of cash or securities, you may choose to create a guaranteed annuity. The Rushford Foundation will pay you (and another person you name) a guaranteed income for life. You receive a charitable income tax deduction in the year of the gift and usually a portion of your income is tax-free. Upon your death, the remaining portion of the gift supports Rushford. (Your income from the annuity and your tax deduction are based on your age.) Charitable Gift Annuities are easy to understand and the earnings may start right away.
Life Insurance
You can make a significant life insurance gift by naming the Rushford Foundation as a beneficiary of all (or a portion) of the proceeds of an existing policy. By transferring the ownership of an existing policy to the foundation, you may receive a tax deduction for the “cash surrender value” of an existing policy. If you establish the Rushford Foundation as the owner of a new policy, you may also deduct the amount of each premium payment you make. With this method of giving, a major gift may be made with only a modest annual payment.
Retirement Accounts
The benefits of a retirement account (IRA or company plans) may be given to the Rushford Foundation by simply signing a beneficiary designation form. Due to the harsh tax treatment of “over-funded” retirement plans, giving in this way often helps to minimize tax consequences for your heirs. Your estate-planning advisor may be able to help determine if you have an “over-funded” retirement plan.