Legacy Stories

Stories from Churches and Donors

A Washington Church

$200,000 enhanced the ministry of a local church. This couple named their local church as the beneficiary of their Charitable Gift Annuity which provided them guaranteed income during their lives and this legacy gift at their deaths.

An Oklahoma Church

Oklahoma - $2,000,000 retired existing debt and established a church foundation. The donor included simple bequest language in her estate plan which saved her family thousands of dollars in estate taxes. The foundation now funds various church ministries.

An Iowa Church

Two gifts totaling $50,000 were used to eliminate ongoing maintenance at the church and parsonage. The pastor says of these donors, "Their stewardship in their deaths has made their legacy in the ministry of this church even more significant."

Faithful to the End

CoupleLinda and Marty have been members of their local church for over 30 years and are faithful givers. They had not considered a legacy gift until attending a planned giving presentation at their church. After prayer, they felt "right" about including a tithe of their estate to the church as part of their estate plan. The paperwork to complete this legacy gift was easy to do and Linda and Marty feel blessed to know that their legacy gift will help the church minister in their community until the Lord returns.

Good for Church and Family

WomanEva is a widow with grown children. She wants to include her church in her estate plan but is not sure how. At a planned giving presentation she learned that income tax would be triggered on the savings bonds she intended to leave to her children, but no income tax would be incurred if she left these bonds to her church. Eva was delighted to know that she could maximize her estate value to her children and include the church in her estate plan, while eliminating income taxes due upon her death.