Planned Giving

The most common and easiest way to give an estate gift is by a direct bequest. This can be a specific amount of money or a percentage of your estate that you have chosen to leave to Gould in your will. Bequest gifts are not subject to federal estate taxes and can reduce your estate tax burden, with no limit on the amount of the deduction. The amount of your gift can be changed at any time you choose prior to your death.

Retirement plan benefits are often a significant part of your net worth and can be an excellent choice for an estate planning gift, as they have absolutely no current impact on your family’s income stream, and they are often subject to advantageous tax considerations.  Retirement-plan benefits include assets held in individual retirement accounts (IRAs), 401(k) plans, profit-sharing plans, Keogh plans, and 403(b) plans.

Your after-life gift to Gould can provide you with income while you are still alive. Charitable remainder trusts and gift annuities can provide you with a reliable source of life income and still benefit Gould after your death. This type of estate gift can also provide significant tax savings.

An estate note is a simple but irrevocable pledge or debt against the donor's estate. This instrument binds the donor's estate to the extent not paid during the donor's lifetime. Estate notes may be pledged for either one or two lives. With a two-life estate note, the obligation is binding only on the estate of the person who lives longer.

A very secure approach, this type of gift transfers assets to a trustee and provides that scheduled payments are made to Gould for either a specified amount of time or until the end of your (and/or another person’s) life. This can result in an immediate charitable donation for gifts that will be made in subsequent years or a reduction (and possibly even a complete elimination) in gift and estate taxes that could pass on to your heirs when they receive their gift.

These, as all other types of estate planning gifts, should be thoroughly discussed and reviewed by you and your attorney and financial advisor.

You can also choose to leave real estate and other personal property assets to Gould, as many have done. In fact, Gould’s largest bequest ever came in this form, the Murial Park Mason House. Mrs. Mason left her home, personal property and land to Gould - at a value of +$5 million - and it has made a lasting difference to the school and the students who continue to benefit from it.