The Legacy Society of Epworth United Methodist Church (Planned Giving & Endowment) consists of all those members who have pre-arranged a gift in their wills to the church endowment fund. This money is invested in a socially responsible S&P index fund. Annually, a portion of the total is paid to the Finance Committee to support church programs and facility maintenance requirements.

Legacy giving is an intentional act that leaves a lasting legacy in your name and sustains the powerful work of this church for generations to come. A legacy gift is a designation from your estate to a charitable organization. Your estate is the sum of your assets, including property you own, insurance policies, retirement accounts, cash on hand, etc. Wealthy people may have large estates, but even people who aren’t wealthy often have the resources to make a legacy gift.

There are many gift possibilities. You can set up giving plans or trusts before your death to benefit Epworth now and realize your tax savings as a gift to the church as well. Each of these gifts allows flexibility, though some requirements apply, and you always retain the right to amend your estate plans.

• A charitable request in your last will and testament or revocable living trust can specify a specific amount or a percentage of your estate to be donated to Epworth.
• You can name Epworth as a beneficiary of a life insurance policy or investment account.
• Retirement plans such as 401(k) and 403(b) as well as Traditional IRA accounts also provide excellent opportunities to name Epworth as a beneficiary, particularly since the church would inherit these assets with no tax consequences.
• Other types of legacy gifts include gift annuities, life-estate agreements and charitable remainder trusts.