Planned Giving: Bequests and Charitable Gift Planning

Gift Planning

Gifts of Retirement Plan Assets: Getting Started

Want to get the most value from your nest egg, protect your heirs from heavy taxes and make your mark at our organization? Consider leaving a portion of your retirement plan assets to Compassion International.

How It Works
If you die with retirement plan assets in your estate, those assets are subject to income taxes. This can reduce the amount that normally would be passed to heirs by up to 39.6 percent. In contrast, as a nonprofit organization, we are tax-exempt and eligible to receive the full amount and bypass any federal taxes. Income taxes can be eliminated or reduced through a carefully planned charitable gift. Consider these gift options:

Designate Compassion International as the primary beneficiary for a percentage (1 to 100 percent) of your retirement plan assets.
Designate a specific amount to be paid to us before the remainder is divided among family beneficiaries.
Make us the contingent beneficiary to receive the balance only if your loved one, as primary beneficiary, doesn't survive you.

Did you know?
If your children are the beneficiaries of your IRAs and other retirement plan assets, federal income taxes may erode up to 39.6 percent of the amount they receive.

To implement your wishes, simply advise your plan administrator of your decision and sign whatever forms are required.

Retirement Plan Assets

You

You name Compassion International as beneficiary of all or part of your retirement plan assets.

Retirement Plan Assets

Compassion International receives the balance of the plan at your death.

Compassion International

How You Benefit
Leaving retirement plan assets to Compassion International shields your heirs from taxes on the retirement assets and frees you to give them other assets that are not as heavily taxed.

For Example
Betty plans to leave $250,000 to her niece, Lisa, and $250,000 to Compassion International. Among her assets, Betty owns a $250,000 IRA. If she leaves the IRA to Lisa, it will be subject to income taxes at Lisa's marginal income tax rate (35 percent). To avoid her niece having to pay these taxes, Betty names us the beneficiary of her IRA and leaves less tax-burdened assets to Lisa. Because Compassion International is tax-exempt, income taxes are eliminated.


	Download a free guide to learn more about gifts of retirement plan assets.

A Second Gift Option
You can also consider creating a charitable remainder trust for heavily taxed retirement plan assets. Such a trust could be set up to receive the proceeds of your retirement plan at your death. The trust would pay income for life to a family member of your choosing, after which the remaining assets pass to Compassion International.


	Use our gift calculator to see how a charitable remainder trust can benefit you.

Please contact Gift Planning Department at 855-315-5019 or giftplanning@compassion.com if we can answer any questions you have about this way to support our organization.

Your Next Steps
Getting Started | Is This Gift Right for You? | Case Study | How to Complete Your Gift | Action Items

The information on this website is not intended as legal or tax advice. For legal or tax advice, please consult an attorney. Figures cited in examples are for hypothetical purposes only and are subject to change. References to estate and income taxes apply to federal taxes only. State income/estate taxes or state law may impact your results.

Financial Integrity

Compassion is committed to integrity, consistently receiving high ratings for financial accountability. At least 80 percent of all ministry expenditures are used on programs for children.

Types of Gifts

Releasing children from poverty