Actress Ruth Gordon once said, “The good that men do lives after them.”

 

We all want our good to live on; to leave a lasting and positive influence on our beloved families and community. Making arrangements for this and considering your legacy can start today! It all begins with a will which is a vital document in this planning. A will lets you provide for your family after your death, allows you to distribute your assets according to your wishes, saves on estate taxes, and lets you leave a legacy without giving up assets. With careful planning, your family can also avoid paying income taxes on the assets they receive from your estate. 

 

To many, ensuring that special charitable interests be sufficiently cared for is of considerable importance. Making a charitable bequest is one of the easiest ways to guarantee that this happens, while you are supporting the community for generations to come. Leaving a legacy through a bequest is where the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation can assist.

 

Many feel that only the rich and famous can establish charitable bequests. This is not true. Anyone desiring to support an organization or establish a memorial may include a charitable bequest in their will.

 

A charitable bequest is a statement written in a will or trust that directs a gift to be made to a qualified tax exempt charity at the time of your death. Through this planned giving, you can have an impact on your community for future generations. 

 

With the help from the staff at the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation and your attorney, you can include language in your will specifying gifts to be made to family, friends or a charity as part of your estate plan. The gifts can be made in several ways: a percentage of your estate, a specific asset, the residue of your total estate or a specific dollar amount. 

 

Also, a charitable bequest is one of the most flexible estate planning tools available since it can be changed at any time. The ability to remain in complete control of your property during your life makes a charitable bequest one of the most popular methods of making a planned gift.

 

The positive impression you have on your family and friends can be commemorated for generations with the drafting of a will – a vital document.  If you are interested in establishing a charitable bequest, contact the staff at the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation at 661-3390 or stop by at 418 Spring Street, Jamestown.