Gift Vehicles

Appreciated Stock

Your gift of appreciated stock to Lesley is an easy way to generously support the work of the University while providing you with benefits that decrease the gift's actual cost.

• You receive an immediate income tax deduction for the full market value of the stock
• You completely avoid tax that otherwise would be owed on the capital gain

Bequests

A charitable gift through your will or trust can reduce your estate taxes and has always been a popular and simple way to make a planned gift. Bequests to Lesley have allowed us to develop programs, fund scholarships, and build critical endowment. A bequest designated for Lesley may be stated as a percentage or fraction of your estate or a specific dollar amount.

With an unrestricted bequest, the University may use your gift to address immediate priorities. The language may read as follows:

• I give Lesley University, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, __________percent (__________%) of my estate for its general purposes; or
• I give Lesley University, in Cambridge, Massachusetts,___________dollars ($___________) for its general purposes.
  

A bequest for a specific purpose may read as follows::

• I give Lesley University, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, __________ dollars ($__________) for the purpose of ____________________. If in the opinion of the Trustees of Lesley University my gift cannot be applied usefully for this purpose, this bequest may be used for another purpose the Trustees believe is most in keeping with my expressed wishes and intent.

In all cases it is strongly recommended that consultation with your legal and financial advisors will create the best arrangement for your personal circumstances.

Life Insurance

If you have a paid-up life insurance policy that your family no longer needs, you may use it to make a gift to Lesley. By transfering the policy's ownership and making the University the beneficiary, you become eligible for an income tax deduction typically based on the case surrender value of the policy and it is also removed from your estate.

Charitable Gift Annuities (CGA)

The desire to support Lesley while retaining dependable income for the rest of your life can be accomplished with a charitable gift annuity. In return for a gift worth at least $10,000, the Univeristy will make fixed annual payments to you, another person or both for life. The amount of the payment is based on the age of the payment recipient(s), the amount of the gift, and is set forth in a simple contract created between you and Lesley.

A CGA features the following benefits:

• Guaranteed, fixed payments backed by the assets of Lesley University
• Generally a portion of the payment is tax free
• Your income may be increased if funded with low yielding securities
• Favorable capital gains tax treatment if the gift is made with appreciated securities
• An immediate income tax deduction
• Possible reduction in estate taxes

Deferred Gift Annuities

If you establish a Deferred Gift Annuity, the gift is made now, but the first payment does not begin until a future date. In addition to a higher payment once the annuity begins, the immediate charitable income tax deduction is greater. A deferred CGA can be particularly attractive to someone who makes maximum allowable contributions to an employer-sponsored retirement plan and is interested in receiving more income after their working years.
Both immediate and deferred gift annuities may not be available in some states.

Charitable Remainder Trusts (CRT)

If your priorities include flexibility, additional income, and control of managing assets, you should consider establishing a charitable remainder trust. A CRT requires a minimum gift of $100,000 in cash, publicly traded securities, closely held stock and/or real estate. A written trust document sets out the specific terms of this gift vehicle and you, another individual, bank or trust company may act as trustee with the obligation to prudently manage and invest the trust assets. The trust document will specify whether a fixed payment or percentage of the trust asset value is distributed annually (a minimum of five percent (5%) applies in both forms.)

The income recipients identified in the trust agreement recieve the distribution, which may include the donor and/or beneficiary. The trust may run for the life(s) of the income beneficiaries, or for not more than 20 years. After the trust terminates, the remaining assets become the property of Lesley University. A CRT provides favorable tax benefits. No capital gains tax is owed on the transfer of appreciated property to the trust. The donor is eligible for a favorable charitable income tax deduction and gift and estate tax deductions may also be available.

If you are interested in receiving a specific fixed annual amount every year for the trust duration, you might consider a Charitable Remainder Annuity Trust.

The dollar payout of a Charitbale Remainder Unitrust changes with annual market valuations. If the assets increase in value, the payment will increase, if the assets decrease in value on the valuation date, the dollar value of the payout decreases. Subsequent annual payments will fluctuate from year to year.

If you have the dual goals of supporting Lesley University and passing significant assets to heirs while minimizing gift or estate tax, you may want to consider a Charitable Lead Trust. Charitable lead trust payments flow to Lesley and/or other charitable organizations instead of individuals during the trust term. After the trust terminates, the remaining principal, which in most cases has appreciated in value, becomes the property of your heirs or other specific non-charitable beneficiaries.