Experts say that 70% of Americans do not have a current will, trust or estate plan.
“If not for estate planning Church of the Open Door wouldn’t have survived the first few years as my tenure as Senior Pastor of this great and historic faith community. Judy and I know the impact of legacy giving and want to pass on that blessing. That’s why we have designated a portion of our estate to invest in future generations of our beloved church.” – Ed Underwood
CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING OPTIONS AS YOU PLAN FUTURE FINANCES
Ensure gifts for your heirs and for ministry
If your estate is valued at under $100,000 or if you live in a state where you can transfer real estate through a beneficiary designation, you may be able to record your estate plan through a simple will.
Determine if a simple will is right for you: contact us for more information.
Establish your plan without the hassle of probate
If you own real estate (including your primary residence) and live in a state that does not allow you to transfer that real estate through a simple beneficiary designation, you will likely be better served by the creation of a living trust.
Determine if a living trust if right for you: contact us for more information.
Guaranteed fixed income for life with a generous gift to Church of the Open Door
If you have readily marketable assets that pay no return (stock, cash, etc.) a Church of the Open Door gift annuity could be right for you. A Church of the Open Door gift annuity provides guaranteed income for life, some of which is tax-free. It also provides an immediate charitable tax deduction. In this plan, you gift the asset to the church and, upon acceptance; you are issued a contract, which is secured by the church’s assets.
The rate of return is based on your age. This can be a vital step in your retirement planning, in that it provides a fixed income component to your portfolio.
Avoid capital gains and receive life income
A charitable remainder trust (CRT) allows you to gift an appreciated asset to Church of the Open Door in exchange for lifetime income. The benefits of a CRT include: avoidance of capital gain, regular monthly income, a charitable tax deduction and a long-term investment in the mission of Church of the Open Door.
Gifting interest earned on an investment
A charitable lead trust (CLT) involves “loaning” an asset to the church for a term of years whereby the church receives the income from that investment. At the conclusion of that term, that asset is returned to the donor who receives various charitable tax benefits.