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 How You Can Help |
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How You Can Help
Ways to maximize personal giving to WCI Making a personal gift is a wonderful way to support WCI and its longstanding programs and services to individuals with disabilities. At WCI, we rely on your support of our annual solicitation and fund-raising events. The most common type of gift made to WCI is cash (in the form of a check or money order). The WCI family has traditionally supported the organization in response to its annual solicitation letter or through participation at a special event. However, there are many additional opportunities to support WCI, either as part of your personal charitable giving activities or as part of your long term financial planning.
Many corporations match staff's personal donations with an equal or greater corporate contribution as a way to encourage company employees to make charitable gifts. Under a corporate matching gift program, a company matches gifts made to nonprofit organizations with company or corporate foundation funds, sometimes at a ratio higher than a 1:1 match. Ask your company's Human Resources Department if your employer matches gifts to qualified non-profit organizations such as WCI.
Many employers offer workplace-giving opportunities through the United Way or other community campaigns. Although WCI is not a United Way organization, did you know that you might select WCI as your workplace-campaign designated charity? All you have to do is write in "WCI - Work, Community,Independence" in the "other" category. WCI's tax identification number is 23-7427897. Share this information with your friends and family and ask them to also designate WCI!
Tribute Gifts are a way to remember family and friends in a tangible way, whether to honor a special occasion or to pay tribute to the memory of a loved one.
Contributions to a charitable organization dear to the honoree is a great way to celebrate a special occasion or to honor a person's memory. Many supporters of WCI - Work, Community, Independence derive great satisfaction by making gifts in memory of a loved one to benefit WCI or in honor of a family member or friend. WCI gratefully accepts honor and memorial gifts and treats each gift with special attention. The amount of the contribution is never revealed. When making a tribute gift, be sure to include the name and address of the person you want us to notify of your thoughtfulness and generosity. WCI does not disclose the gift amount when informing honorees or next of kin. The donor also receives a letter of acknowledgment. You can mail your donation to WCI. Please make checks payable to WCI - Work, Community, Independence.
You may wish to contribute a Life Insurance Policy to WCI. Simply ask the life insurance company for a Designation of Beneficiary Form to make the change. By naming WCI as beneficiary, the proceeds of the policy will be distributed to the organization after your demise. For example, many school districts provide Life Insurance Policies to staff at no cost to the insured party. You may also decide to make an irrevocable transfer of an insurance policy to receive a gift credit. To do so, you name the WCI as both beneficiary and owner. You receive gift credit for the cash surrender value of the policy that you may claim as an income tax deduction in the year you transfer the policy. When you make a gift through the irrevocable transfer of an insurance policy to WCI, the agency can then redeem the policy for its cash value and use the proceeds for a specific or general purpose.
WCI will gladly accept gifts of appreciated securities (e.g. stocks, bonds or mutual funds) that a donor has held for twelve months or more, real estate (e.g. land, a vacation home or personal residence) or other tangible assets and work with you to maximize your gift. For more information, please call the WCI Development Office at 781-899-8220 ext 101.
Did you know that you could make a planned or legacy gift to support WCI? We would be delighted to assist you in selecting a gift and amount that is most beneficial to you, your family and WCI. With planned gifts, such as charitable gift annuities, you may receive lifetime annual income. Other planned gifts, such as estate planning, may offer substantial estate and income tax benefits. Most importantly, a planned gift may allow you to make a larger gift than you may make on an annual basis. We encourage you to consider WCI in your planned or estate giving.
A Will is a legal document comprised of a set of written instructions directing the distribution of your personal assets, and your estate, and providing for the guardianship of dependents upon your death. It is the only means of ensuring that your family, friends and others you care about benefit from your assets upon your death. You should create a Will to make certain that the assets in your estate are distributed according to your wishes. Regardless of the size of your estate, a Will guarantees that your family and friends and favourite charitable organizations receive the assets you intended for their benefit. No matter what your age or the size of your estate, you should have a Will.
Many people believe that a Will, similar to life insurance, is an unnecessary provision for an event which seems to be too far off to be of concern. If you pass away without a Will, however, those people and organizations you want to benefitmay never receive anything from your estate. The disposition of the assets from your estate are governed by state law which prescribes distribution of those assets to persons you may have nevber intended to benefit. Potential income and estate tax savings, resulting from careful estate and financial planning, may not be achievable without a valid Will.
A bequest is a statement in your will that transfers property from your estate to a named beneficiary. Through single or multiple bequests, you determine what and how much to provide for your intended beneficiaries. Bequests can be made to a spouse, children, grandchildren, friends or any other individual for whom you want to provide support. You can also designate charitable organizations to receive a bequest from your estate. Types of Bequests include:
Bequests to WCI - Work, Community, Independence from friends, staff and volunteers help us maintain our extraordinary commitment to provide life supports to Individuals with disabilities. In addition, since WCI is a qualified charitable organization under IRS regulations, your estate enjoys the benefit of considerable tax savings with a bequest to WCI. The full amount of your gift is deductible in determining the taxable estate. Regardless of the size of your charitable bequest, no tax liability will be incurred on the gift. We encourage unrestricted bequests to WCI, for they allow us to dedicate resources to our most urgent needs. However, bequests to WCI can be used to support programs of interest to the donor's family including WCI's Housing Initiative Fund, to purchase state-of-the-art technology, or to assist Individuals and staff. Your will designates the purposes that are most meaningful to you.
If you want to include WCI in your will, we suggest the following language: Of course, if you want to designate a specific purpose, have your attorney include language to that effect in the bequest wording.
If you already have a will, you should review its provisions periodically to be sure they satisfy the needs of your current situation. As your circumstances change, or if a major event occurs, e.g. marriage, birth, retirement, death of a spouse or family member or other beneficiary, you may wish to modify your will, either with a codicil (amendment), or by drafting an entirely new will.
Trusts, established during your lifetime or through your will, can also offer substantial tax savings and provide support to WCI.
A Charitable Remainder Unitrust ("Unitrust") is a gift plan defined by federal tax law that allows you to provide income to yourself, or others, for life, or a term of years, while making a generous gift to WCI, or another charitable beneficiary. As a unitrust donor, you irrevocably transfer assets, usually cash, securities, or real estate, to a trustee of your choice. You can choose a friend, relative, bank or trust company as the trustee, or you can act as the trustee yourself. During the unitrust's term, the trustee invests the unitrust's assets. Each year, the trustee pays a fixed percentage of the unitrust's value, as revalued annually, to one or more beneficiaries named by you. Payments must be at least 5% of the trust's annual value. Payments may be made annually, or in semiannual, or quarterly installments. When the unitrust term ends, the unitrust's principal passes to the charitable beneficiary, to be used for the purpose you designate.
With a Charitable Lead Trust, a donor similarly transfers assets, usually cash or securities, to a trustee of his or her choice. During the unitrust's term, usually a fixed number of years, the trustee invests the unitrust's assets. Each year, the trustee distributes a fixed dollar amount or a fixed percentage of the unitrust's value, as revalued annually, to the charitable beneficiary. These payments are used for the charitable purposes you designate. When the lead trust term ends, the trust distributes all of its accumulated assets to family members or other beneficiaries named by you. Nevertheless, the trust can be structured so that no gift tax is paid on transfer of the assets to your family members.
The estate and financial information contained herein is for illustration purposes only and should not be considered as, or replace, legal, accounting, or other professional advice. Please consult with your attorney, accountant or other financial advisors when creating your estate plan. These professionals can consider many factors, including your particular financial and family circumstances, as well as special legal and tax issues, an develop an estate or financial plan that meets your personal needs and goals.
Gifts to WCI are deductible to the extent allowed by law. WCI's tax identification number is 23-7427897. Thank you for your generosity.
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