Estate planning, charity bequests can be simple ways to donate

For more information on the topic of this video visit http://www.leavealegacysoutheastmichigan.org. Items discussed include the ease with which individuals from all income levels and all walks of life can make an impact by donating to local charitable organizations, both in life and after death through charity bequests. Tax benefits of planned giving and the preparation of documents such as wills and estate plans also are discussed.

Hosted by University of Michigan Attorney and Leave a Legacy Washtenaw County Co-Chair Donna Snyder, part one of this episode of Access Ann Arbor features guests Chris Belcher, Vice President and Trust Officer for Comerica Wealth & Institutional Management in Ann Arbor, and Marie Seddon, Executive Director of United Methodist Retirement Communities (UMRC) Heritage Foundation in Chelsea.

LEAVE A LEGACY® Southeast Michigan is a nine-county-wide campaign encouraging people to name non-profit organizations in their wills. The campaign, which is driven by the efforts of volunteers from non-profit groups, and financial, estate planning and law firms, is sponsored by the Planned Giving Roundtable of Southeast Michigan — a group of professionals in legal, financial, and allied fields as well as fundraising professionals whose focus is planned giving.

The campaign resulted from a growing concern for non-profit organizations, who because of increasingly less government funding, are fighting to exist. And the problem worsens because this forces non-profit groups to rely more on public support; however, although 81.5% of people in Southeast Michigan give annually, only 2.8% leave a charitable bequest at death. LEAVE A LEGACY is addressing this problem by educating people about the importance of planned gifts for the charities we depend on and support.

For more information visit http://www.leavealegacysoutheastmichigan.org, call (888) 826-7900 or e-mail leavelegacy@airadv.net.

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• estate
• planning
• charity
• bequests
• leave
• legacy
• philanthropy
• giving
• donate
• donations
• tax
• benefits