Collectively, we can ensure the future for a strong Reform movement in the years to come.
Through a bequest; a gift of retirement plan assets, real property or appreciated securities; or a life income gift such as a charitable remainder trust or gift annuity, you can guarantee that the Reform movement remains the most vibrant stream of Judaism in North America.
With the assistance of the Unions Development Department staff, and in consultation with your financial advisor, you can craft a planned gift to meet your charitable and financial goals.
Bequests
The Union welcomes bequests from its friends and supporters. Through a bequest, you can have a direct impact on the Union's future and, at the same time, receive direct practical advantages: a charitable gift is 100% deductible from your taxable estate. A bequest may be large or small, and it may be used to support the general purposes of the Union or be restricted to an area or program that is of special interest to you.
Bequests can include cash, securities, real estate, other property, a percentage of the residue of your estate, or all the residue of your estate.
To make a gift to the Union from your estate, you must sign a new
will or trust instrument, add a codicil to your present will, or make
an amendment to your present trust instrument. Your attorney can advise
you on to provide for your beneficiaries according to your preferences
and, at the same time, to provide for the Union's future through a
charitable bequest.
We include this sample of bequest language. If you wish to
designate your bequest for a specific purpose at the Union, please
contact the development department so that we can provide wording that
is tailored to your specific interests.
I hereby give, devise and bequeath to The Union for Reform
Judaism, whose North American headquarters are located at 633 Third
Avenue, New York, NY 10017 .
[Choose one:]
_______% of my gross estate as finally determined for Federal estate tax purposes...
All of the rest, residue and remainder of my estate...
The sum of $_______ dollars....
other... (retirement plans, real estate, tangible property)
Our staff can help you develop strategies of giving that are
advantageous to you and to the Union. If you wish to learn more about
making a bequest to the Union, please call us toll free at 866-840-3029
or send an e-mail to development@urj.org.
Charitable trusts, gift annuities and pooled income funds
Donors to the Union have the satisfaction of knowing that they are supporting the most vibrant stream of Judaism in North America. In addition, a life income gift offers added rewards:
It pays you, your beneficiary, or both, an income for lifein many cases a larger income than the gift property is presently earning for you.
It can offer significant tax advantages in the form of an immediate charitable deduction, avoidance of capital gains tax upon sale of any appreciated assets, and an eventual estate tax savings.
It relieves you of the burdens of asset management and enables you to support, in a significant way, the Reform Movement in which you have a particular interest.
There are several principal types of life income gifts, giving you a range of choice in your investment and estate planning. One of them may be ideally suited to your particular circumstances.
Charitable Remainder Trust
A
charitable remainder trust is a lifetime gift option that can be
tailored to meet your specific requirements. This popular option can
help you avoid capital gains taxes and reduce income and estate taxes.
It can provide an income stream to you and/or other beneficiaries for
life or a period of years. The remainder is then put to use by the
Union according to your instructions.
There are two types of Charitable Remainder
Trusts, the Unitrust and the Annuity Trust. The payments to
beneficiaries can be either a percentage of the trust principal each
year (unitrust), or a fixed dollar amount provided (annuity trust).
Payments are made to the income beneficiaries regardless of actual
income earned by the trust portfolio.
A unitrust provides a variable income based on investment
performance. Unitrust income is calculated as a fixed percentage of the
value of the trust, determined annually. If trust investment
performance exceeds annual income payments to you, the trust's value
and your income should increase each year. An annuity trust provides a
fixed income stream at a guaranteed level based on the value of the
trust's assets at the time it is established.
As with any other charitable gift, you will gain a charitable
deduction from your taxes in the year you establish your CRT. At the
end of the term of the trust, the assets revert to the ATS and are used
for purposes you specified.
Pooled Income Fund
A gift that gives back: One of the easiest ways to provide for
the Unions future as well as your own while saving taxes and receiving
regular payments for life is to support the Union through its three
pooled income fund. A gift to one of these funds also allows you to
provide life income to yourself and/or another beneficiary,benefit from
a charitable income tax deduction,donate your highly appreciated
securities without incurring capital gains tax,and reduce estate taxes.
This instrument allows you to achieve greater investment
diversification by investing in a large multi-asset pool. The Unions
fund consists of life income gifts invested in a broad range of equity
and fixed-income mutual funds. On the death of your named
beneficiaries, the proportionate share is withdrawn from the fund and
used for the purpose you designate.
Charitable Gift Annuity
A charitable gift annuity is a simple contract between a donor
and the Union. In exchange for your gift of cash or marketable
securities, the Union will agree to pay you or your beneficiary a fixed
income for life. The Union guarantees the payments: the law requires us
to use all our financial resources to ensure the annuity payments. The
annuity return will be, in most cases, higher than that available to
you in the marketplace.
Annuity payments are based on the amount of the gift, current
interest rates and other market factors, and your age or the ages of
your beneficiaries at the time the gift is made. Annuity payments, once
established, are fixed and will not be affected by inflation, financial
market corrections, or fluctuations in the economy.
Your charitable gift annuity provides you with an immediate
income-tax deduction in the year it is established. If you fund your
annuity with appreciated securities, you will also avoid any capital
gains tax resulting from a sale or other transfer of the securities. A
portion of each annuity payment is considered a tax-free return of
principal.
For more information about the Unions life income gift plans, please send an e-mail to the Unions Development Department at development@urj.org, or call 866-840-3029.