Planned Giving

A gift of cash is a simple and easy way to make a gift. Donors receive a charitable tax deduction that will provide tax savings during the year a cash gift is made. Learn more on our Ways to Give page.

A gift of securities, including your stocks or bonds, is an easy way to make a gift. By making a gift of appreciated securities, donors avoid paying capital gains tax that would otherwise have been paid if this asset was sold. Donors receive a charitable tax deduction during the year a gift of securities is made. Learn more on our Ways to Give page.

Charitable IRA Rollovers

Using Qualified Charitable Distributions from an Individual Retirement Account (IRA) is an excellent option for supporting Saint Mary’s School now. If you are 70½ years old or older, this tax-savvy strategy allows you to transfer up to $100,000 annually from your IRA directly to Saint Mary’s. Qualified Charitable Distributions count toward your IRA’s annual Required Minimum Distributions (RMD), and you pay no federal income tax on distributions transferred to Saint Mary’s.

Qualified Charitable Distributions can also be used to fulfill multi-year pledges. Learn more on our Ways to Give page.

A Donor-Advised Fund (DAF) is like your own charitable savings account. You contribute to the fund as frequently as you like and then recommend grants to nonprofits like Saint Mary's, all while potentially earning immediate tax benefits. Learn more on our Ways to Give page.

A gift of real property (such as a home, vacation property, vacant land, farmland or commercial property) can make a great gift. Gifting appreciated real property allows donors to avoid paying capital gains tax that would otherwise have been paid if this asset was sold. Donors receive a charitable tax deduction during the year a gift of real estate is made. Learn more on our Ways to Give page.

With a gift of tangible property such as valuable artwork, antiques, collectibles or other personal property, donors have the satisfaction of making a significant gift to Saint Mary’s without adversely affecting their cash flow. Donors receive a charitable tax deduction during the year a gift of tangible personal property is made. Learn more on our Ways to Give page.

A charitable lead trust (CLT) is an irrevocable trust that provides for charitable and noncharitable beneficiaries. As the charitable beneficiary of a CLT, Saint Mary’s receives either a fixed dollar amount each year (a charitable lead annuity trust CLAT) — or a fixed percentage of the value of the trust each year (a charitable lead unitrust CLUT). At the end of the trust term, the trust property reverts to the person who created the trust or is transferred to other non-charitable beneficiaries such as family members.

In addition to providing support to Saint Mary’s now, charitable lead trusts are often used for family wealth succession and estate tax planning purposes.

Please note: Saint Mary’s School does not serve in a trustee capacity but instead works with donors and a trustee selected by the donor as the charitable lead beneficiary or “remainderman” of the trust.

Click here to notify us that we are a beneficiary of your CLUT.

Life insurance policies can be used to make a substantial gift to Saint Mary’s. There are several ways to use a life insurance policy to support Saint Mary’s, including listing the School as a beneficiary of a policy.

If Saint Mary’s is named both the sole owner and beneficiary of a paid-up, whole-life insurance policy, donors may receive an immediate charitable deduction for the lesser of the policy’s fair market value or the policy’s cost basis. In most instances, Saint Mary’s will surrender paid-up, whole-life insurance policies so proceeds may be used immediately.

Under certain circumstances, upon being named owner and beneficiary, Saint Mary’s may find it more advantageous to maintain the policy until the death of the insured person. In this situation, additional premiums paid on behalf of Saint Mary’s are tax deductible. Notify us using our online estate planning form here.

A deferred gift is one that will be received by Saint Mary’s in the future. 

Examples of deferred gifts include bequests through a will or trust and gifts directed through financial asset beneficiary designation.

A bequest is naming a recipient, like Saint Mary’s School, as a full or partial beneficiary in a will or trust. A will or trust ensures that a person’s intentions are clearly expressed and will be followed by an estate administrator. 

A trust provides for the distribution of assets without the usual probate administration requirements.

■  Specific bequests are usually a stated dollar amount. Specific bequests can also be a gift of stocks or bonds, real estate, or tangible personal property. 
■  Residual bequests designate a percentage of the remainder of an estate after specific bequests have been fulfilled. 

Bequests in a will or living trust are revocable, allowing donors to maintain control and use of their assets during their lifetime. 

A bequest may also reduce a donor’s estate tax liability.

Click here to notify us of your bequest.

There are many types of retirement plans and accounts, including an Individual Retirement Account (IRA), 401(k), 403(b), SEP, ESOP, etc. Qualified retirement plan assets often account for a large portion of a person’s overall net worth and estate.

Qualified retirement plan assets inherited by non-spousal beneficiaries are often one of the most heavily taxed assets in an estate, even if the estate is not large enough to trigger federal estate tax. 

As a qualified charity, Saint Mary’s does not pay income tax on gifts received from retirement plan assets. This means the full value of a large portion of your life’s savings will be used as directed by you at Saint Mary’s, increasing the gift’s impact at the School.

Making this revocable future gift is free and easy to do. Your retirement account’s plan administrator or the company that manages the account can help you designate Saint Mary’s as a beneficiary on the plan's beneficiary designation form. 

Click here to notify us that you've named Saint Mary's as a beneficiary of your Retirement Account(s).

Click here for information on how to create beneficiary designations.

Life insurance policies can be used to make a substantial gift to Saint Mary’s. There are several ways to use a life insurance policy to support Saint Mary’s, including listing the School as a beneficiary of a policy.

If Saint Mary’s is named both the sole owner and beneficiary of a paid-up, whole-life insurance policy, donors may receive an immediate charitable deduction for the lesser of the policy’s fair market value or the policy’s cost basis. In most instances, Saint Mary’s will surrender paid-up, whole-life insurance policies so proceeds may be used immediately.

Under certain circumstances, upon being named owner and beneficiary, Saint Mary’s may find it more advantageous to maintain the policy until the death of the insured person. In this situation, additional premiums paid on behalf of Saint Mary’s are tax deductible.

Click here to notify us that Saint Mary's is a beneficiary of your Life Insurance policy.

In addition to retirement accounts and life insurance policies, there are other assets whose inheritance is governed by beneficiary designation from a financial institution. These assets include: 

■ bank accounts and brokerage accounts with a payable on death (POD) provision; and 

■ donor-advised fund assets (depending on the organization that manages the donor-advised fund) remaining at the time of the original donor’s death. 

These revocable future gifts are easy to complete — simply sign or update a beneficiary designation then notify us.

Saint Mary’s can be listed as a beneficiary of a charitable remainder trust (CRT), which pays an annual amount to one or more people for a lifetime or a fixed period of years. A charitable remainder annuity trust (CRAT) offers fixed payments to donors based on initial trust value. A charitable remainder unitrust (CRUT) offers payments to donors that vary based on the performance of the trust’s investment portfolio each year. Saint Mary’s receives the remaining trust assets at the donor’s death or the fixed term ends. 

Click here to notify us that we are a beneficiary of your CRUT, CRAT, or CRT.