Establish your legacy
Christian Union can help you explore ways to make a bequest that will assure your own legacy through a life-changing ministry. Making a gift from your estate begins with the following steps:Understand Ways to Give
Name Christian Union as a beneficiary
- Christian Union welcomes gifts of a remainder interest in an IRA or other qualified retirement plan (Keogh, tax-sheltered annuity, or qualified pension or profit-sharing plan). For some people, these can be the most highly taxed assets they own, since retirement plans assets can be subject to both estate and income taxes. Christian Union is a tax-exempt organization, so when you name the ministry as a beneficiary of your qualified retirement plan, these assets can pass to the ministry without being taxed. Similarly, when you name Christian Union as a beneficiary of your life insurance policy, the assets pass to the ministry tax free. Please contact your own Retirement Plan Administrator for a beneficiary designation form. The legal name for Christian Union is: "Christian Union Inc" and the tax ID number is: 22-3834440.
Make a gift through your will or living trust.
Few legal instruments are more important to the people and causes you care about than your will. Before you meet with your attorney, we suggest that you become familiar with the ways you can make a bequest:
- A specific bequest directs a dollar amount or particular assets, such as securities, real estate, tangible personal property (works of art or rare books), to Christian Union.
- A residuary bequest directs all or a percentage of the remainder of your estate, after specific amounts bequeathed to other beneficiaries are distributed and estate-related expenses are paid, to Christian Union.
- A testamentary trust can be helpful for you and your family as well as for Christian Union. A lead trust saves estate taxes by providing annual payments to Christian Union in lieu of taxes; the remaining amount goes to your family or friends. A remainder trust provides payments to your surviving family members or friends for life or a set term, with the remainder going to Christian Union.
Think about your Christian Union Legacy
A gift to Christian Union may memorialize a friend or relative, or carry in perpetuity the name of the donor.
• An unrestricted bequest allows the ministry to determine how to use the funds based on its highest and most pressing needs. If you prefer to make an unrestricted bequest, we suggest the following sample language: "I give and bequeath to Christian Union Inc, a New Jersey not-for-profit corporation, the sum of ___________ Dollars {or all the rest, residue, and remainder of my estate} to be used for the general purposes of the Ministry in the discretion of its Board of Trustees."
• A restricted bequest directs assets to a specific fund or a particular purpose. If you are considering designating your bequest for a specific purpose we suggest that you speak to a development officer at Christian Union. The ministry will help ensure that your gift is used as you would like. Staff members are available to discuss what you want to accomplish through your gift and can provide sample language for you and your attorney to review.
Resources
Letter of Intent >Sample Bequest Language >
