Top 10 Things you Can Do To Leave a Legacy

• Prepare a will. Only 50 percent of people who pass away have one. Without a will, you lose control of the assets you worked a lifetime to build.
• Leave a gift in your will for the charitable organization that made a difference in your life or to the entire community through your local community foundation.
• In your will, choose either a specific dollar amount or a percentage of your assets to leave to your favorite charity or community foundation.
• Consider using assets as your charitable gift. These include, but are not limited to: stocks, bonds, certificates of deposit, real estate, vehicles, art and jewelry. Such gifts may provide tax savings.
• Name your favorite charity or community foundation as the beneficiary of your IRA or pension Plan.
• If you already own a life-insurance policy, consider renaming the beneficiary to be your favorite charity or community foundation.
• Purchase a new life insurance policy naming your favorite charity or community foundation as beneficiary.
• Encourage family members and friends to leave gifts to charities in their wills, and help them follow proper channels to find a qualified estate planner.
• Ask your professional adviser to include this type of giving in his or her counsel to other clients.
• To learn more about leaving a legacy, log onto www.leavealegacyminnesota.org.

Courtesy of Leave a Legacy - a program of the Minnesota Planned giving Council