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Welcome to your home for charitable gift planning resources!
Planned gifts provide resources that create extraordinary opportunities and preserves Ferris future as a place where students can achieve their potential. With a planned giving strategy, you can put your assets to work for any part of Ferris you choose, while you and the University share in the benefits.
We've created this easy-to-understand website to help you find the gift that's right for you.
If you're not sure where to begin, try our Build Your Gift planner. If you have gift options in mind, click on Compare Gifts to see how your choices match up or click Gift Calculator to estimate your tax deduction and other financial benefits.
If you have any questions or would like to discuss your gift or estate plans, please contact Todd M. Jacobs at 231-591-3817 or ToddJacobs@ferris.edu.
If It Weren’t for Ferris...
Tom and Molly Charles |
With the hope of becoming an architect, Tom enrolled at Grand Rapids Community College to get started on his dream – but little did he know junior college would mean so much more. Tom spent two years at GRCC getting a few college courses under his belt. While there, he met the lovely Molly Irwin. Molly was at GRCC studying merchandising, and it wasn't soon after they met, they fell in love.
Tom and Molly married in 1959, and Tom began working for a small loan company. However, after being out in the workforce for several years, he realized the importance of finishing his degree – so he looked around at schools to which he could possibly transfer. He was encouraged by a close friend, Chuck Smith (head basketball coach at Ferris from 1955 to 1959), to look into Ferris. Tom says it was one of the best pieces of advice he's ever received.
"Ferris gave me an opportunity I didn't think I was going to get. For that, I am forever grateful. I wouldn't be where I am today without Ferris giving me a chance," said Tom.
Because of the opportunities afforded to Tom by Ferris, including his recruitment on campus by Old Kent Bank and his subsequent 32-year career banking career, Tom and Molly decided to create the Tom and Molly Charles Scholarship Fund to help transfer students on their path to their dreams.
"Had Ferris not believed in me, I wouldn't have gone on to graduate from the College of Business or gained the tools I needed to be a successful banker," Tom added. "Molly and I hope that this scholarship will help transfer students, like I once was, pursue and complete their degrees at Ferris."
Retirement Income You Can Depend On
With all the ups and downs in the financial markets, many of our older friends and alumni are turning to Ferris State University's gift annuity program to create a steady, dependable stream of lifetime income. More
Will New Tax Laws Affect My Estate Plan?
It's an extraordinarily uncertain time—tax wise, that is. This is the first year in decades that American tax law repealed the federal estate tax. As of Jan. 1, 2010, federal estate taxes are repealed for any deaths that occur during this calendar year, regardless of the size of that person's estate (state estate/inheritance taxes will still apply). More
Now's the Time to Review This Important Estate Planning Checklist
As the new year gets under way, now is the perfect time to take the necessary steps to update your estate plans so they reflect any life changes you experienced in the past year. More
Use Your Will to Change the Future
Do you hesitate to give to your favorite causes because you are concerned about needing your assets in the future for you or your family? A gift in your will, called a bequest, could be the right option for you. More
3 Steps to Change Beneficiaries in Your Will or Living Trust
If you wanted to name or change a beneficiary in your will, would you know what to do? The process is actually easier than you might think. More
Surviving the Loss of a Loved One: Estate Planning Help
Life is challenging. The loss of a loved one makes it even more so. But don’t let stress over your finances make it even harder—ease your way through the tough times with these smart financial strategies. More
