Make a Gift that Protects Your Budget: Gifts by Will or Trust

Your Charitable Legacy – The Values that Define You

We all enter a time in our life when we need to have documents in place for the distribution of the possessions and assets we have accumulated over a lifetime. This is best accomplished by having a will or trust, which serves as the roadmap for this distribution. This important document also tells the story of your life and values.
 

Understandably, you will leave assets to loved ones. But what else defined your life and the values you hold dear? These values are often demonstrated by the organizations you supported during your lifetime, such as the NIU Foundation.
 

Making a bequest to the NIU Foundation can help achieve your financial goals and ensure your values live on. No other planned gift is as simple to make or as easy to change, should you ever need the assets during your lifetime.
 

You can give a specific dollar amount, a specific asset, or a percentage of your net estate value. In addition, you can change your designations for any reason and at any time. Finally, making a gift through a bequest costs you nothing during your lifetime and can reduce estate tax liability.
 

Example:

Sarah is 75 years old and is grateful for the opportunities she received as an NIU student. She wants to make similar opportunities available to current students, so decides to make a bequest in her will. She includes a provision stating that upon her passing, a certain percentage of her estate (or a specific dollar amount) will be given to the NIU Foundation to establish a scholarship fund in her name. This bequest ensures that her legacy and commitment to education will benefit future students.
 

In addition to the bequest, Sarah also decides to make the NIU Foundation a beneficiary designation for one of her investment accounts, specifying that upon her passing, the account's proceeds should be transferred directly to the university. By doing so, Sarah ensures that a portion of her financial assets will go to supporting the university's ongoing programs or any specific initiatives she may have indicated.
 

As you make your estate plans, please consider a gift to the NIU Foundation so that we can continue to have a positive impact on the next generations of those we serve. You can fill out our Charitable Bequest Intention Form here.