Leaving a Lasting Legacy
Estate Planning Strategies that Protect Your Family and Leave a Lasting Legacy
What Will Your Legacy Be?
As Catholics, we are called to be faithful stewards of all that God has blessed us with, and to provide for our family and for our Catholic community as well. The time-tested planning strategies outlined in this brochure, can help guide you and enable you to protect your family’s financial security, while leaving a legacy to support Saint Catherine’s Parish. A stewardship-based approach to estate planning recognizes the need to reduce taxes, legal fees and court costs. The savings from proper estate planning can benefit both your surviving family and Saint Catherine’s.
Protect Your Family
A good estate plan enables your affairs to be handled in a way that makes sure your family is protected when the time comes. Using documents like Wills, Trusts, Powers of Attorneys and Advance Medical Directives, your affairs can be taken care of while reducing the likelihood of family disagreement and disputes.
Support Our Church
As Catholics, our estate planning should also reflect our spiritual values. There are Faith-based estate planning strategies that enable you to protect your family and support Saint Catherine’s Parish as well. We can help you make a lasting impact on the spiritual, educational and charitable works of our parish. Let us share with you a brief testimonial from Ann who left a financial legacy to support her Parish.
Throughout my life I have worked to strengthen our Church community by sharing the gifts that God has blessed me with, and by sharing His message of Love. Leaving a gift to my Parish in my Will, is yet another way for me to demonstrate my devotion to Him, by helping to ensure that future generations will experience faith-filled lives. – Ann
Perhaps you are hearing God’s call to leave a lasting legacy to support Saint Catherine’s? There are a number of ways you can answer that call through estate planning; ways that reduce taxes and achieve your other important goals as well.
Common Types of Planned Gifts
A Bequest in Your Will or Trust: a common way for people to support their Church and involves making a in your Will or Trust. If you are generous in this way, please have your attorney call us so that we can provide them with the correct language.
Charitable Gift Annuity: helps you generate tax-wise income in a way that also supports the Church.
Gift of an interest in an IRA, Retirement Asset or Insurance Policy: names the Church as a beneficiary of your retirement account or insurance policy. Retirement assets are the most heavily taxed assets and making charitable gifts of these assets can save significant income and estate taxes.
Charitable Trusts: the two most common types are Charitable Remainder Trusts and Charitable Lead Trusts.
Give your taxes away! With careful estate planning, you can distribute to the Church funds you would otherwise lose to taxes.
We are Here to Serve You.
Please call Barbara Kilarjian at: (516) 678-5800 ext.257 or (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) so that we can assist you and your professional advisors with any questions you have about including a planned gift in your estate plan.
If you are considering a bequest to Saint Catherine’s in your will/trust, the following is sample language for a bequest:
“With gratitude for all that God has given me, I give, devise and bequeath to Saint Catherine of Sienna Roman Catholic Church in Franklin Square (%) of the remainder of my estate after all debts, taxes, expenses, and family bequests have been paid.”
If you have already remembered our Parish in your will or trust: THANK YOU. Please consider joining the Manus Christi Legacy Society, and please contact Barbara Kilarjian at (516) 678 - 5800 ext. 257 so that we can invite you to our next Legacy Society gathering.
When having your estate planning done, don’t overlook these faith-inspired options:
♦ Lasting Legacy Estate Plan: you can eliminate taxes and legal fees and leave a lasting financial legacy that supports Saint Catherine’s Parish.
♦ Probate Court Avoiding & Privacy Protecting Living Trust: you can be a good steward and avoid having your assets go through a public court administration, which is costly and preventable.
♦ Give it Twice Trust: you can provide lifetime income to your family and support Saint Catherine’s Parish.
♦ Catholic Legacy Will: your love for the Catholic faith and Saint Catherine’s Parish can be handed on to loved ones.
♦ Catholic Medical Declaration: a Declaration which reflects Catholic teachings on the Sanctity of Life.
♦ Sacramental Wishes Statement assures you of a Catholic funeral at Saint Catherine’s Parish.
