Legacy Gifts and Bequests
Giving is a very important part of the life of a person devoted to Jesus Christ. More and more Catholics are responding to the idea of giving a gift that forever perpetuates our Catholic faith. Your gift is a concrete way to express gratitude to God for a lifetime of blessings. The gift you give also establishes a lasting legacy of love for others by enabling the Church to continue the preservation and expansion of our Catholic heritage through its many ministries.
There are many ways to give a gift and many types of Church ministry that could be assisted at the parish, school, or diocesan level. Depending on your situation, there are different ways to structure your gift so that you can receive regular income during your lifetime, save on taxes, or both. To learn more about the types of ministry that you could support by establishing your own legacy or to discuss the various types of giving options, please call your parish or the Office of Development for the Diocese at 850-435-3530. We recognize that many people want to help others and want to express their gratitude to God through a legacy gift, but simply do not know how to do it. We would like to make it easy for you to make a lasting gift and receive the benefits of doing so.
Will you?
It is estimated that up to 70% of Americans do not have a will. A will allows you to control how your loved ones are provided for after your death. The easiest way to make a gift is to include a simple bequest in your will. If you already have a will, a codicil allows for a new provision to be added easily.
For your parish, school, the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee, or ministry of the Diocese - "I bequeath the sum of $_____ or _____% of the residue of my estate to His Excellency The Most Reverend John H. Ricard, SSJ, as Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee, a corporation sole, and his successors and assigns in said office as Bishop, for the benefit of (your parish, school, Diocese, or other agency or ministry of the Diocese)."
For Catholic Charities - "I bequeath the sum of $_____ or _____% of the residue of my estate to Catholic Charities of Northwest Florida, Inc., a charitable organization whose principal office is located at 11 North B Street, Pensacola, FL 32501." (You may, if you wish, designate a specific program within Catholic Charities).
For gifts that will last in perpetuity using only the interest and dividends - "I bequeath the sum of $_____ or _____% of the residue of my estate to The Catholic Foundation of Northwest Florida, Inc., a charitable organization whose principal office is located at 11 North B Street, Pensacola, FL 32501."
Ways to Give
The following chart offers an explanation of the gifts that can be made and how they are of both benefit to you and to the Church
Type of Gift |
Benefit to Church |
Benefit to You |
Bequest |
Bequest could be a help in perpetuity and invested to fund Church needs |
Possible estate tax deduction; Opportunity to make a perpetual gift |
Assets not used to pay annuity to the donor or others, benefit the Church |
Guaranteed fixed income for life; Portion of income is tax-free; Deferred income if desired; Possible income and estate tax deductions |
|
Insurance Policy |
Church receives full face value of policy upon death of the donor, or may receive current surrender value prior to donor's death |
Income tax deduction for value of the policy when transferred; Premium payments may be deducted as gifts; Possible income and estate tax deductions |
Upon the death of donor or last surviving income beneficiary, remaining assets benefit the Church |
Variable or fixed income; Deferred income if desired; Possible income and estate tax deductions |
|
Charitable Lead Gift |
Income for duration of trust and helps Church meet spiritual and human needs that exceed the capabilities of most parishes or schools |
At the end of trust period, principal returns to donor other beneficiaries; Principal can pass to others with little or no shrinkage from taxes; Possible income and estate tax deductions |
Retirement/IRA |
Significant gift upon death of donor |
Estate and income tax savings may cover a substantial portion of the gift |
To give a legacy gift or bequest, click here.