The simplest form of gift planning—a bequest is a gift that is created through your will or trust and comes to the Speech School after your lifetime. Bequests can be for any amount and can include cash, securities, real estate, or other property. They can be stated as a specific dollar amount, a percentage of your estate, or the remainder of your estate.

Benefits - A bequest is free of federal and estate tax - Your bequest can be designated for a particular purpose (endowment, special fund, etc.) - A bequest can be changed later - You can leave a legacy and provide future support to the Atlanta Speech School.

How to name the Atlanta Speech School in your will or trust: Bequest intentions are straightforward to organize. In as little as one sentence (click here to access sample) you can complete your gift to the Speech School.

These types of gifts are also known as “life-income” gifts. They are investment vehicles that provide the donor with a fixed income for life, based on the initial value of the investment, and after the passing of the donor the remaining amount becomes the gift to the Atlanta Speech School.

A charitable gift annuity could be right for you if:

• You want to maintain or increase your cash flow.
• You want the security of fixed, dependable payments for life.
• You want to save income taxes or capital gains taxes.
• You would like income that is partially tax-free.
• You want to make a generous gift to the Atlanta Speech School.
• You are considering a gift amount of $100,000 or more.
• You are at least 55 years of age.

A Charitable IRA Rollover makes it easier to use IRA assets, during your lifetime, to make charitable gifts to the Speech School. These are “tax-wise” gifts especially for individuals with large IRA balances who may not need all the assets in their IRA for living expenses to transfer larger amounts to a non-profit such as the Speech School. With the passage of the SECURE Act 2.0, taxpayers can also use up to $50,000 to fund a charitable gift annuity or charitable remainder trust.

Benefits of giving through an IRA charitable rollover:

• Avoid taxes on transfers of up to $105,000 from your IRA to the Speech School- also known as a qualified charitable distribution, or QCD, beginning at age 70 ½. These QCD’s can be designated to an Annual Fund, an endowment fund or other uses at the School but not in exchange for a benefit such as Gala tickets, etc.
• May satisfy your required minimum distribution for the year.
• Reduce taxable income, even if not itemizing deductions.
• Make a gift that is not subject to the deduction limits on charitable gifts.

Many donors today are using Donor Advised Funds to optimize their tax situation while still supporting their favorite charities. These funds are set up with large financial institutions or community foundations who act as the charitable sponsor. Donors who direct gifts from these types of funds have a few options for the disbursement of any remaining funds upon their passing. One option is to designate the remaining balance of the fund to support the Atlanta Speech School.

Individuals can also make a gift of life insurance by making the Atlanta Speech School the irrevocable owner and beneficiary of a life insurance policy that has cash value and is no longer needed. Individual donors, in many cases, may claim a charitable deduction when gifting a life insurance policy with cash value.