Planned Giving (also known as “Gift Planning”) is a way of giving to charitable causes and institutions like our senior living community through financial estate, and tax planning.

Planned gifts often are designed to increase a donor’s income, provide for successive heirs, reduce taxes, better utilize a highly appreciated asset, or some combination. Also, planned gifts are often among the largest contributions an individual will make to a charity. With the right planning you can make a gift that provides for you, your heirs and future generations of seniors in the Boulder Community all at the same time.

We recommended that you consult with qualified advisors such as a Certified Financial Planner and/or an attorney who specializes in estate planning when you are considering making a planned gift. Our planned giving office can also offer you additional information regarding a planned gift that best meets your objectives.

Nearly any asset can be used to make a planned gift including:

• Stocks, bonds, and mutual funds
• Real estate
• Life insurance
• IRAs or qualified retirement plans

You can make the gift while you are alive or through your will or testamentary trust. The asset you use and the way you make the gift depend on your goals and needs.

Planned gifts can produce immediate income tax deductions as well as reductions in capital gains, inheritance and estate taxes. It all depends on what giving technique you select and the type of assets you will use to fund your gift. In any case, there can be some complications in good tax planning, and it is important that you take the right steps to maximize your deductions. You should consult with a tax advisor to avoid pitfalls and reap the opportunities.

You have the option of making a gift that returns income to you, your spouse, or other individuals, with a charitable gift annuity or a charitable remainder trust. Golden West Foundation offers charitable gift annuities and we can help assist with the creation of charitable remainder trusts.

You can provide a bequest for Golden West Foundation in your will or living trust. Naming Golden West Foundation as a full or partial beneficiary of your life insurance policy, IRA or retirement plan is easy because all it requires is filling out a “change of beneficiary form” which can be provided by your insurance or plan administrator.

If you have questions about Golden West Foundation or how you can support us, please contact John Torres at jtorres@gwboulder.org or at 303.939.0897.