Life Stage Gift Planner™

Under Age 60

• Accumulating and preserving wealth
• Managing debt
• Prudent asset management
• Discretionary savings programs
• Long-range planning for retirement and emergencies
• Diversifying investments and establishing a growth strategy
• Creating a simple will and estate plan providing for heirs and bequests to charity
• Increasing income; increasing debt

For the charitably inclined, certain types of gifts can provide solutions to taxing problems:

Charitable bequest
If you would like to make a substantial gift to charity but you do not have the current disposable income or assets to do so now, consider a charitable bequest.

Cash, checks, and credit cards
A gift of cash is easy to make, and the gift is not subject to gift or estate tax. A contribution of cash or by a check that is postmarked in December is deductible for that tax year—even if Western Illinois University receives it in January—provided the account against which the check was written had sufficient funds to cover it in December. A contribution by credit card must be made by December 31 in order to be deductible for that tax year.

Deferred-payment charitable gift annuity
If you are making the maximum annual contribution to your retirement account but are unsure whether there will be enough income when you retire, consider establishing a deferred-payment charitable gift annuity with Western Illinois University.

Charitable remainder unitrust
Provides for annual payments to the designated beneficiary(ies) of a specified percentage—at least 5% of the value of the trust as it is valued each year. Because the value may vary year to year, the payments may also vary.