Endowment
Planned Gifts
The ELCA Foundation's nationwide network of professional gift planning staff are available to help you fulfill your legacy goals through charitable planning.
Bequests (Wills & Trusts)
The most common of all deferred giving plans. Bequests may be made in your will using a percentage, a specified amount, a specific property, or your residual estate.
Donor Advised Funds
Make a gift of $10,000 or more and advise the annual distributions in support of your favorite ministries.
Life Insurance
The easiest way for you to make a gift of life insurance is to include a percentage to your favorite ministry choice as part of the primary beneficiary designation. Ask your insurance representative for help.
Qualified Retirement Plans (IRA, Keogh, 401k, 403b)
Your qualified retirement plan can provide a significant gift to ministry at the time of your death.
Life Income Agreements
Life income agreements are available for people who want to make an irrevocable gift that will benefit ministries of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America after their death. These agreements allow the donors to retain an income interest during their lifetime or for a term of years. The ELCA Foundation administers a wide variety of life income agreements that are in compliance with federal laws and state regulations that govern the issuance and administration of these agreements.
Deferred Charitable Gift Annuities
You make an irrevocable gift of $1,000 or more of cash or marketable securities for an ELCA ministry of your choice and in return receive an agreement that the ELCA will pay an annuity for one or two lifetimes to individual annuitants named by you. The annuity payments are deferred to start at a later date, such as retirement. This is an especially good tool for retirement planning, as there is no limit to the amount of the gifts that may be made into this type of plan. You receive a current income tax deduction now to be used if you itemize deductions. You select the charitable beneficiaries that will receive the remainder of the annuity at the death of the final income beneficiary.
Charitable Remainder Trusts
These gifts allow you to make a substantial gift and receive income from the trust. Choose from a Charitable Remainder Unitrust, a Charitable Remainder Annuity Trust, or a Testamentary Charitable Remainder Unitrust depending on your situation and goals.
Stock
When you give appreciated stock, which you have owned for at least 12 months, you by-pass capital gains tax and receive an income tax deduction if you itemize. When you use the services of the ELCA Foundation to give stock to your congregation or other ELCA ministries, you pay a reduced fee on the stock transfer and sale, thereby maximizing your gift.
Pooled Income Fund
You make an irrevocable gift of $2,500 or more of cash or marketable securities in exchange for a life income to individual beneficiaries. The funds are commingled ("pooled") and the income share is determined and distributed on a quarterly basis from the total trust fund's earnings. You receive an income tax deduction now and usually bypass most capital gains taxes. You select the charitable beneficiaries that will receive the remainder of the trust at the death of the final individual income beneficiary. The ELCA currently maintains two pooled income funds, one for income, the other for growth and income.
The examples and information on this page are for illustrative and educational purposes only and should not be considered tax or legal advice. Please consult with your tax or legal advisor before proceeding with your estate plan. Information taken from ELCA Foundation
