Heritage Circle Resources

Your generosity today inspires readers for generations to come

Gifts received through wills and living trusts are a financial foundation that makes Words Alive’s impactful programming for children, teens, and families possible.

Below are resources that may help you designate Words Alive in your estate planning.

IRS Updates Related to Planned Giving

As of 2024, the qualified charitable distribution will be indexed for inflation beyond the $100,000 limit.

Also in 2024, donors will be able to initiate a one-time transfer of $50,000 to fund a charitable remainder annuity trust, a charitable remainder unitrust, or an immediate charitable gift annuity. This is increased to $100,000 if funded by the IRAs of both spouses.

Ways to Give

• Will or trust

• IRA or other retirement plan

• Life Insurance policy

• Life income or other planned gift (charitable gift annuity, pooled income fund, charitable remainder trust, charitable lead trust or remainder interest in a personal residence

Bequest Language

The following is intended to help you and your attorney in drafting a bequest that satisfies your individual interests. 

Most donors leave their gifts to Words Alive without restriction. This allows Words Alive to use these funds to help us fulfill our mission connecting children, teens, and families to the power of reading.

Bequest provisions designated for a specific program or activity require additional language. It is best to contact us in advance for assistance to ensure that your wishes are properly understood.

Below are three common ways of making a bequest, along with suggested language:

Donate a Percentage of Your Estate
I give and bequeath to Words Alive, a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of California and currently located at 770 Park Blvd, San Diego CA 92101, ___% of my estate to be used in support of its charitable programs.

Make A Specific Dollar Bequest
I give and bequeath to Words Alive, a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of California and currently located at 770 Park Blvd, San Diego, CA 92101, the sum of $____ to be used in support of its charitable programs.

Give the Residue of Your Estate
All (or a specific percentage) of the residue of my estate I give and bequeath to Words Alive, a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of California and currently located at 770 Park Blvd, San Diego, CA 92101, to be used in support of its charitable programs.

Beneficiary Designations

An alternative to a bequest gift is to designate Words Alive as the beneficiary on retirement assets, life insurance, or other planned gifts.

Retirement Assets

You can control the transfer of retirement assets at your death without changing your will or living trust. All you need to do is complete a new beneficiary designation form from your plan administrator. There is no need to modify your will or living trust.

A gift of retirement assets has the added advantage of being among the most tax-wise ways to make an estate gift. This is because your retirement assets, if left to individuals, will be subject to income tax when they receive distributions and, in the case of most non-spouses, those distributions must take place within 10 years, potentially pushing designated beneficiaries into higher tax brackets.

Life Insurance 
Life Insurance policies can also be used to make a gift to Words Alive. Complete and return to the insurance company a form designating that Words Alive receives all or a portion of the death benefit associated with your life insurance policy. As an alternative to naming Words Alive as the beneficiary, you can transfer ownership of the policy. Transferring ownership results in an immediate income tax charitable deduction and potential income tax savings in the year of the gift.

Questions

For more information about how to leaving a lasting legacy, please contact: Alyssa Broda, Engagement Director, 858-274-9673 or via email [email protected].