Legacy Giving is a gift from accumulated wealth. It is most commonly a
bequest from a will or estate. Legacy Giving is also referred to
as Planned Giving.
There is rarely a month that goes by where the church does not receive a
request to support one worthy cause or another. These requests
come from the
communities in which we live, from within our own church
congregation and from the world at large. Currently the Church
Council must decline most such requests as our financial position does
not permit us to provide financial support. Legacy Gifts would make it
possible to support such causes, while at the same time helping to
ensure the financial stability of the local congregation over the long
term. Legacy Giving could very well be the greatest single
mechanism that Niverville United Church has to make a difference in the
world.
The amount of your estate to give to the church is obviously an
individual decision. Even a small percentage can make a big
difference. And the truth is that, depending your financial situation, leaving a gift to
a charity in your will may reduce the
tax burden within your estate significantly. It is not uncommon for
heirs to receive the same amount or very similar amount of proceeds from
your estate that we otherwise would have received without a gift to the
church. This is true because gifting of assets to a charity is often
much more tax efficient than transferring assets to children or
relatives. Essentially you can do both!
How do I know how my gift will be spent?
We are proposing the creation of a new fund to hold any Legacy Gifts received by the church. The acceptable uses of the fund are very broadly defined, as no one knows that the needs of the future may bring. The church may wish to support relief efforts resulting from a natural disaster half way around the world, such as theTsunami that struck India and neighbooring countries on Boxing Day in 2004. The church may wish to support other charities and organizations within the communities that we live. The church may use the funds to support congregation members in need, perhaps with medical expenses. Essentially the fund could be used for whatever God's will is at the time. In fact, that's the proposed name of the new fund: "God's Will".
The exact uses of the fund will be based on requests that come from the congregation, however 1/3 of all Legacy Gifts will be allocated for use 'at home', fulfilling the needs of the local church, 1/3 of all Legacy Gifts will be allocated for use within the community and the last third will be allocated to the world.
The exact details are provided in the Legacy Giving Policies.
If I wish further information on making a Legacy Gift, how do I proceed?
You can speak to anyone on the Legacy Giving Committee. In addition, the United Church has regional gift planners who are wiling to meet with interested parties. You should also consult with your financial advisor.
Who is the Legacy Giving Committee?
The Legacy Giving committee is comprised of Kathy, Gloria, Clare & Travis.