Planned Giving
What is planned giving?
Planned giving is one way for us to be faithful to God even in our death. By naming St. Paul’s in your will or as a beneficiary on your life insurance policy or retirement account, you can ensure that some of your estate will benefit God’s work in the world.
We are grateful for the many legacy gifts that have been given to St. Paul’s throughout the years. Those gifts have established an endowment, which is managed by a group of dedicated parishioners. They make sure that our parish honors the intentions behind each gift and that we are able to use them fully for the ministry of the church.
How to arrange your gift
There are numerous ways that you can establish a planned gift. Please contact Leslie Alexander, our Parish Administrator, or ask your lawyer or financial advisor to contact us on your behalf. We will work with you to help you maximize your gift for the benefit of St. Paul’s.
Ways to Make a Planned Gift
Here are some of the many ways you can make a planned gift to St. Paul’s, either during your lifetime or as part of your estate. Please consult with an estate or tax advisor and the church office before making a planned gift.
Gifts of Cash
During your lifetime
If you itemize deductions, you can generally take a charitable deduction for cash donations up to 60% of your adjusted gross income. Deductions for larger one-time gifts can be carried forward into succeeding years. Planned gifts to the endowment can be made during your lifetime.
Gifts of Stock
During your lifetime
When you give publicly traded stock that has appreciated in value to St. Paul’s, you receive a charitable deduction for the fair market value of the stock at the time of the gift. You get full credit for the amount, and neither you nor St. Paul's pays taxes on the capital gains.
Qualified Charitable Distributions from an IRA, 401(k), OR 403(b)
During your lifetime
If you have reached an age at which distributions from a retirement account are mandatory (70½ or 72), you can have your qualified charitable distributions (up to $100,000) paid directly to the church to avoid any income tax liability.
Donor-Advised Funds
During your lifetime
You can set up a charitable fund within an independent financial institution that allows you to set aside your gift now and, while those investments continue to grow, decide in the years ahead which charities you and your family would like to support.
Charitable Remainder Trust
During your lifetime
Like a donor-advised fund, a charitable remainder trust is a gift you make during your lifetime that benefits the charities of your choice, but you can also receive income from that trust for the rest of your life in the form of an annuity or as a fixed percentage. Upon your death, the remaining value of the trust is distributed to the charities you select.
Other Gifts
During your lifetime
Gifts of closely held securities, real estate, personal property, or in-kind gifts require careful planning. We are happy to work with you to make sure your gift can be fully received by the church. Please speak with a financial advisor and with the church office.
General Bequests
Through your estate
The church can be named as a beneficiary in your Will or Trust as a cash or residual percentage beneficiary. The church can also be named as a beneficiary of any specific financial accounts or as a beneficiary of your home with a beneficiary deed. Before leaving personal property to the church, please call the church office to make those arrangements.
Retirement Accounts
Through your estate
To avoid your individual beneficiaries from being subject to income taxes generated from gains within your IRA or 401(k), you can name the church as a partial or complete beneficiary of your account. This reduces the tax liability and frees up other assets without an income tax complication to be given to your loved ones.
Life Insurance Policies
Through your estate
If your loved ones are financially secure but you still have a life insurance policy, you can make the church a partial or complete beneficiary of that policy. Contact your insurance agent to make those arrangements. Alternately, if you would like the church to become the owner of your policy, please call the church so that we can assist you with that process.
St. Paul’s Endowment Committee
Connie Clark
Julie Gehrki
Greg Lee
Loyd Swope
Laura Wilkins
St. Paul’s 2023 Endowment Summary
The 2023 Endowment Summary can be found within the Treasurer’s report on page 10 of St. Paul’s 2023 Annual Report.
About St. Paul’s Endowment
The St. Paul’s Endowment is made up of funds set aside and invested to provide a reliable source of income for our church over time. While the principal assets usually remain invested, the income is used to advance the church’s mission in whatever ways the donor has specified.
Our Endowment is managed by a local investment firm and overseen by five Endowment Committee Members, who are appointed by the Vestry. They meet regularly with our investment advisors to ensure the long-term health of our Endowment.
Each fund within the Endowment has a particular purpose. The McMichael Fund is unrestricted and used according to the greatest need. The Gregg/Shively Fund is dedicated to local outreach. The Reynolds/Murphy Fund supports St. Paul’s music and the preservation of our historic structures. The Eggleston Fund supports youth participation at Camp Mitchell and other youth programs. You can contribute to any of the established funds at any time, or, if you intend to make a sizable gift, you can work with the Vestry to establish a new fund.
About St. Paul’s Legacy Guild
Everyone who has made a planned gift to St. Paul’s Episcopal Church is already a member of the Legacy Guild. When people become a part of the Legacy Guild, they are not only recognized for their generosity but also give witness to their faith through the church. They demonstrate that they care deeply about St. Paul’s and want to ensure that its ministries endure and grow in the future.
Everyone has a chance to leave his or her own legacy of faith. If you have made a planned gift to St. Paul’s, please call the church office and let us know. We want to thank you and want to be prepared to receive your gift when the time comes.
