Planned Giving

Possibilities and opportunities. That's what we offer family, friends, causes and organizations whom we designate to receive the gifts we leave when we depart this life. Planning for the disposition of our estates is a caring, loving, and generous act that can have a lasting effect on the people and organizations that matter most to us. Yet it only happens if we plan appropriately and take the necessary steps ahead of time. Otherwise, our property might end up being divided and distributed by some disinterested government or legal entity in a way inconsistent with our final wishes.

Planned giving is not new. All of us have heard at one time or another that, "Everyone should have a Will"! What is new is the recent establishment of a formal Planned Giving program here at Neighborhood Church. The benefits are many and having such a program should help facilitate the efforts of everyone who wants to include Neighborhood Church among his or her beneficiaries. By naming the Church in your will or trust you can help strengthen the Church's economic security, enhance its ability to serve its members and the greater community, and create an enduring legacy that will make possible continued support for the values and programs dear to you. Doing so can be as easy as changing beneficiary designations or updating your will. And it does not mean an immediate outlay of financial resources, unless you desire to do so.

Also new is the creation of the Neighborhood Heritage Society, an honorary fellowship. It was formed to give recognition to and show appreciation for the individuals who have made a commitment to include Neighborhood Church in their wills, trusts, and other planned giving designations. Society members will have the opportunity to provide input to the Planned Giving Committee and the Board of Trustees on matters affecting the future long-range mission of the Church and its financial security.

If you feel, as so many of us do, that Neighborhood Church plays an important role in providing for your spiritual sustenance and makes a positive impact on the world around us, won't you consider making the Church part of your planned giving and join the Neighborhood Heritage Society? Additional information can be obtained from any of the Planned Giving Committee members listed below, at various displays located in the Chapel and Neighborhood House, or on the patio between services on Sundays. Look for the new brochure entitled, "An Invitation to Join the Neighborhood Heritage Society".

- The Planned Giving Committee

1. Prepare a Will. Only 50% of those who pass away have one. Without a Will, you lose control of distribution of your possessions.
2. Leave a gift in your Will for the charitable organizations that are important to you. Less than 3% of all Wills settled contain a charitable provision. Imagine the positive impact on your community if everyone made a donation to a favorite non-profit, even modestly.
3. Leave a specific dollar amount or percentage of the assets in your Will to your favorite charity. The provision can be part of a new Will or added to your existing Will as a codicil.
4. Consider using assets for your charitable gift. These can include but aren't limited to: stocks, bonds, CD's, real estate, vehicles, art, and jewelry. Such gifts may even provide tax savings.
5. Name your favorite charity as the beneficiary of your IRA or pension plan.
6. Purchase a new life insurance policy naming your favorite charity as the beneficiary.
7. Name your favorite charity as the beneficiary of an existing life insurance policy.
8. Remember your deceased loved ones with memorial gifts to charities.
9. Encourage family members and friends to leave gifts to charities in their Wills.
10. Ask your financial advisor about charitable giving and how you might incorporate this into your estate planning strategies.