Gifts in Your Will or Living Trust
A gift made through a will or living trust, also known as a charitable bequest, is one of the most common ways to give and can be easily arranged. A simple provision or amendment at the time you make or update your will or trust is all that is necessary.
Gifts included in wills and living trusts can be a specific amount, a specific asset (such as real estate, personal property or securities) or a percentage of your assets. There are many benefits for including the Sjögren’s Foundation in your will or trust:
- Allows you to retain control over the final distribution of your assets
- A simple way to give that is easy to arrange
- Doesn’t cost you money now or alter your current lifestyle in any way
- Can easily be modified to address changing needs / interests
- Potential estate tax savings
- Satisfaction of giving a gift that helps ensure the future health of the Foundation
Sample Gift Language
"I give and devise to the Sjögren's Foundation currently located at 10701 Parkridge Blvd, Suite 170, Reston, VA 20191, (insert specific dollar amount or percentage of assets) in support of its mission (you can also specify a specific fund or program if you would like the gift to be restricted). The Foundation’s Federal Tax ID is 11-2779073)."
Gifts Through Your Retirement Account
You can also include the Sjögren's Foundation as a beneficiary of your IRA or other qualified retirement benefits (such as a 401(k) or 403(b).
If you are 70½ or older, you can give a gift to the Sjögren’s Foundation via a distribution from your Individual Retirement Account (IRA) to fulfill your required minimum distribution and take advantage of tax savings.
- Your gift counts toward your required minimum distribution but is not included in your income for income tax purposes.
- Even if you do not itemize your deductions, the gift distribution will not be considered taxable income. You can donate up to $100,000 tax-free annually
- Your IRA administrator must make the distribution directly to the charity, or you may write a check payable to the charity from your IRA checkbook.
Donors should also consult with their tax adviser to discuss your particular situation including tax impact/benefits of such gifts.
If you have any questions, please contact Ben Basloe, Vice President of Philanthropy at (301) 530-4420, ext. 207 or bbasloe [at] sjogrens [dot] org (bbasloe[at]sjogrens[dot]org).