Bequest – A bequest is simply any asset given in your will or trust. A bequest might be a specific amount of money, a percentage of any asset or any percentage of the residual (what is left over after specific bequests and other obligations are paid) of your estate.
IRA or 401K Beneficiary Designations – This type of giving allows you to preserve the value of your retirement fund and prevent your family from paying estate and income taxes on these funds after your death. Simply have your plan manager name the Columban Fathers as a partial or full death beneficiary on your account. Another option is to indicate in your will or trust that charitable bequests be satisfied first with retirement plan assets. You IRA or 401K plan administrator can assist you in naming your beneficiary designations.
Life Insurance – Have your insurance agent name the Columban Fathers as the sole beneficiary, partial beneficiary or contingent beneficiary of your life insurance policy. A contingent beneficiary only receives death benefits if the primary beneficiary dies before you do.
Other Beneficiary Designations – Certificate of Deposits, bank accounts and any commercial annuities allow you to name a beneficiary. Simply add the Columban Fathers as a beneficiary of these accounts.
Savings Bonds – Redeem your savings bonds and use the cash to make a gift to us. The redemption will trigger a tax liability to you on the interest income, but if you itemize, you will receive the benefit of a charitable tax deduction to help offset the additional taxable income. Or you may choose to leave the bonds to us through your will. Because we are a tax-exempt organization, we will receive the full value of the bonds, which could have otherwise been reduced by up to 35 percent for income taxes.
The Columbans are a society of missionaries, including priests and lay people, who minister to people of various cultures as a way of witnessing to the universal love of God.