A bequest is one of the easiest ways to give. With the help of an advisor, you can include language in your will or trust specifying a gift to be made as part of your estate plan. You can gift a percentage of your estate, a specific dollar amount, a specific asset or the balance of your estate.
A retirement asset, such as an IRA account, makes an excellent bequest. If the IRA were given to your family, much of the value may be lost through estate and income taxes. By designating us as the beneficiary of all or part of your IRA, the full value of the gift is transferred tax-free at the time of your passing. Your estate receives an estate tax charitable deduction, lessening your family’s tax burden.