How A Planned Gift Benefits You

By Sharrill Dittmann, Planned Giving Chair

This is the first of several articles on planned giving based upon the UUA Pathway to a Legacy Guide. Planned giving is about planning, it's about giving and it's also about receiving. All gifts to UUCR provide the donor with personal satisfaction. But “planned gifts” can give the donor even more in return. Making a planned gift is a special way to support our liberal religious witness and mission because it allows you to donate assets, yet defer the time UUCR actually receives them. And it's during that time in between when good things happen for you.

You can craft your estate plans to provide a significant, lasting contribution to our common work as Unitarian Universalists. The best gift plans improve the donor's financial and tax situation, often right away. For example, life-income planned gifts allow you (and/or another beneficiary, if you wish) to receive a lifetime income from the investment of the assets you donate. Consider these advantages of various gift plans:

• Current income tax deduction

• Avoidance of long-term capital gains

• Increase in income and effective rate of return.

• An added bonus of planned gifts is that they allow good things to happen for your heirs, as well. Without eroding the estate, planned gifts often cut the taxes imposed on it. That's why gift planning is such a vital part of another process – estate planning.

We understand that your own financial needs and those of your family come first. And with planned giving options, everyone wins, because you provide for our needs later and we provide for your needs now. We encourage you to explore the possibilities and opportunities for creative gift planning with a member of the Planned Giving team at planned-giving@uucr.org.  With your legal and tax advisors, we can help you create a plan that suits your personal circumstances and blends your philanthropic circumstances with your financial needs and tax planning.