Tuesday, October 18, 2011

"Leave A Legacy" Campaign

This was delightful news to read. A planned giving council in Ohio is running a "Leave A Legacy" campaign, encouraging area residents to name a church, educational institution or non-profit as a beneficiary of a non-probate asset. What I find refreshing about this is two things. One, they are focusing on average citizens, not the "wealthy". And two, they are asking people to do an easy, low if not no-cost change...putting a charitable cause on a beneficiary form.

When a person mentions a charity in a will or trust, the cost goesv up. First, the person has to pay an attorney to either create or update an estate plan. And second, the asset will be subject to a probate fee (varies state to state), which will decrease the assets available for distribution.

Straight forward, easy, and inexpensive. Everyone can be a philanthropist!

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