Home | About Us | E-Cards | News/Events | Volunteer | Donate | Directions | Community Education | Masonicare Board Website | Contact Us | LiveHelp
Appeals Events Planned Gifts

Major Gifts Newsletter Directions

 

Text Size:  

Bequests

A gift in your will, also known as a bequest, is a wonderful way to support The Masonic Charity Foundation of Connecticut and a powerful statement to others of your belief in the mission of Masonicare. Our donors are pleased to know bequests are also fully deductible for federal estate tax purposes.

"I give, devise and bequeath $___ (sum of money), or ___% (percentage) of my estate, or ___ (named property), or all the rest, residue, and remainder of my estate to The Masonic Charity Foundation of Connecticut, Inc., located in Wallingford, CT."

Types of Bequests

 

  • Residuary — This bequest directs that The Foundation receives all or a portion of the balance of your estate after all necessary costs and pecuniary bequests have been met. A residuary bequest is a gift of whatever remains in your probate estate. For example, "I give, devise and bequeath all the rest, residue and remainder of my estate to The Masonic Charity Foundation of Connecticut." If you have more than one residuary beneficiary, then you would make sure that the total passing to the residuary beneficiaries equals 100 percent.
  • Percentage — This is a bequest of an amount equal to a fixed percentage of the value of your estate at the time of your death. For example, "I give and bequeath to The Masonic Charity Foundation of Connecticut an amount equal to 10 percent of my adjusted taxable estate (as defined for federal estate tax purposes)." While the percentage will stay fixed, the amount ultimately passing to The Foundation will depend upon the value of all your assets passing under your will upon your death. Care must be taken to ensure that you have sufficient assets in your probate estate to effect this type of gift.
  • Pecuniary — This is a bequest of a specific dollar amount. For example, "I give and bequeath the sum of $25,000 to The Masonic Charity Foundation of Connecticut." This amount will not fluctuate if your estate increases in value after you have signed your will. Assuming your executor has sufficient other assets to pay expenses, debts, taxes and the like, this bequest will not be reduced.

 

Howard W. Orr, Chairman of the Masonicare Board of Trustees, talks to Leave A Legacy CT Co-Chair Danielle Ferrucci, Esq. about how he has structured his estate plan to include The Masonic Charity Foundation of CT.

 

Jennifer A. King, Executive Director of The Masonic Charity Foundation of Connecticut and Co-Chair of Leave A Legacy CT, talks about the tremendous impact that bequest giving has had on the growth of Masonicare.

 

These clips were excerpted from a promotional video for Leave A Legacy Connecticut which was sponsored by the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Connecticut Chapter and Masonicare. Leave A Legacy is a public awareness campaign to encourage people to leave a gift to charity through their estate plan.

For more information about Leave A Legacy Connecticut, please visit their website.