Planned Giving Do's and Don'ts

Do:

• Write a Will
• Talk to your family about your wishes and how you plan to allocate your estate after your death
• Consult with a financial or estate planning professional about making a planned gift to charity
• Consider making gifts to charity at any time during your life. These could include gifts in memory of friends and loved ones and tribute gifts to mark a personal or professional milestone

Don't:

• Think that a gift has to be large to have impact. Gifts of any size can be meaningful to the organization receiving them.
• Let the government distribute your assets after your death — prepare a will!
• Let your gift be a secret! Let the charity know if you plan to make a bequest to them through your will. This will help them in their planning, ensure they understand how you want the funds to be used and give them the opportunity to recognize your generosity if you choose.