Legacy Society

A LEGACY OF COMPASSION

Many friends of the Santa Barbara Rescue Mission make a gift of lasting significance with a planned current or deferred gift. Some of those gifts are arranged by a will or living trust. After caring for family and loved ones, consider a gift to your "extended family" — your church, the Rescue Mission or other charitable interests.

The most popular choices include arranging for a specific dollar gift, a percentage of your estate, the remainder after providing for family members, a specific parcel of real estate or even personal property. Your gift can be designated for one or more of the Rescue Mission's programs or services. An undesignated gift allows the Mission to specify where that gift would be needed the most. You may wish to consider providing an income for surviving family members before providing for the Mission in your will or living trust.

There are also a variety of ways to provide gifts of cash or property now, which allow you to receive an income for the remainder of your life before the remaining assets are directed to the Mission. These gifts involve the use of charitable trusts or gift annuities. There are some unusually favorable tax benefits to be derived from using these methods to provide a future gift while retaining a lifetime income.

A great many people have experienced unusual growth in the value of their real estate or stock, yet feel too locked in to sell and reinvest for greater income. The charitable trust or gift annuity may be the answer. Highly appreciated assets transferred into a charitable trust may be subsequently sold by the trustee without the imposition of a capital gains tax on the sale. Most of the original value is preserved by using this unique approach. There is income tax as well as estate tax benefits.

Another unique option is to establish a trust providing an income to the Mission now while benefiting family and loved ones at a later time. There may be substantial estate tax benefits to younger family members with this approach.

Retirement plan assets offer substantial tax benefits when considering gifts to charities. These assets are often referred to as "charity friendly" because when received by a charity they are normally not subject to taxation. When family members receive them, they are fully taxable. Retirement plan assets are often considered the best option for making a gift to a charity in your estate plan.

To assist you in your gift planning, please feel free to contact Rebecca Weber at the Santa Barbara Rescue Mission 966-1316 ext.105 or [email protected]. Your Legacy of Compassion for the Mission will bring future clients life changing opportunities Please notify us of your inclusion of the Santa Barbara Rescue Mission in your estate plan and become a member of our Legacy of Compassion Society.