Current Events

Services

Agreements

Articles

Biography

Clients

Contact

Helpful Links

IRS Downloads

Nov. 2016 Newsletter

Newsletter Archives

Planned Giving Mentor

Professional Partnerships: Hospice Philanthropy Group L.L.C.

Asking the Right Questions....George Bearup, one of Michigan's most prominent trust and estate attorneys,* has shared his recent presentation and I am please to bring it to you.

“Asking the Right Questions” originally targeted to attorneys, is appropriate for use with all advisors.

Bearup has advise for attorneys and advisors alike. “Your clients expect you to talk about charitable giving opportunities.” Don’t be reluctant to raise the topic of philanthropy, you will not be insulting your clients.

Bearup presents questions every fundraiser struggles with,“How do you empower advisors and encourage them to initiate a charitable discussion?”

Not all clients will be interested in charitable strategies. How do you get them to understand “why they should consider charitable giving'? How do I prompt a healthy discussion of financial planning options?

Bearup identifies 16 questions advisors may consider to prompt a discussion of philanthropic opportunities. The questions help identify personal values, goals, concerns and inclinations to embrace philanthropy.

Questions are followed with commentary on what an advisor might uncover and expect in response.

I recommend sharing “Asking the Right Questions” with every professional advisor in your circles of influence.

*Bearup has been listed in "The Best Lawyers in America" for over 20 years and has been named a "Michigan Super Lawyer" since 2006. He currently serves as Senior Trust Advisor for Greenleaf Trust, a private trust bank.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Marketing Idea #2.....Memorial Gift Insert.....Chapters Health System, a multisite Hospice charity is currently using a gift annuity insert in every memorial gift thank you letter. Gift thank you inserts are a low cost way to spread the planned gift message to active donors. Click for Sample Flyer in Word format.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

Position opening.....Old Colony Hospice, Bridgewater, MA.....The Giving Collaborative is actively seeking Philanthropy Officer Candidates to present to our client, Old Colony Hospice of Bridgewater, MA. For a copy of the job description please contact Heather Crowley at heather@givingcollaborative.com.

Old Colony Hospice, located in West Bridgewater, Massachusetts is currently seeking a Philanthropy Officer to lead the organization in its ongoing fundraising activities. Reporting to President and CEO Toni Eaton, RN, BSN, MS, this Director level position will work closely and collaboratively with other members of the organization to fulfill the stated mission of Old Colony Hospice. The right candidate will oversee the design and execution of a comprehensive fundraising program to include annual giving, capital campaigns, major gifts, planned giving, special events, memorial giving, and other initiatives. In addition, the Philanthropy Officer will cultivate new streams of philanthropy and steward current benefactors.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

Getting Started in Charitable Gift Planning....The Book and Resource Book By Brian Sagrestano and Robert Wahlers

Getting Started in Charitable Gift Planning: Your Guide to Planned Giving covers the steps needed to move an organization from one that has focused on annual and major giving to one that can include Getting Started in Charitable Gift Planning and have it serve as an integrated component of its development program.

In this Resource Book written to accompany Getting Started in Charitable Gift Planning (described above), the authors break down barriers and present an easy-to-understand guide to the 21st century version of “planned giving,” known as charitable gift planning.

To add these to your bookshelf see Charity Channel bookstore.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Gift Annuity Rate Update and Laminated Gift Annuity Rate Charts.....If you would like a laminated rate chart for the most recent ACGA rates simply request one using the following E-mail request and put Laminated Chart in the subject line and be sure your signature line has your full address.

Download a PDF chart of single life $10,000 cash gift and two-life $100,000 security gift for ages 60,65,70,75,80 here.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

3 Ways Life Insurance Can Benefit a Charity You Love.....by: Marvin H. Feldman, CLU, ChFC, RFC, President and CEO of Life Happens

Would you like to make a charitable gift to help organizations or people in need; to support a specific cause; for recognition such as a naming opportunity at a school or university? Perhaps you would do it just for the tax incentives. There are any number of reasons, and life insurance can be one of the most efficient tools to achieve these purposes. So the question becomes, how does this work?

Let me list the ways.

1. Make a charity the beneficiary of an existing policy. Perhaps you have a policy you no longer need. Make the charity the beneficiary, and the policy will not be included in your estate at your death. This also allows you to retain control of both the cash value and the named beneficiary. If you want or need to change the charity named as beneficiary, you can.

2. Make a charity both the owner and beneficiary of an existing policy. This gives you both a current tax deduction along with removing the policy from your estate. Once you gift the policy, you no longer have any control over the values.

3. Purchase a new policy on your life. Life insurance is an extremely efficient way to provide a large future legacy to a charity in your name without needing to write the large checks now. The premiums are given directly to the charity which then pays the premiums on the policy. The charity also owns the cash value as an asset. I am using this concept in my own planning.

Many charities would prefer to have their money upfront, but if you cannot write that large check or don’t want to part with your cash today, a gift of life insurance is a most efficient method to leave a large legacy in your name.

Source: http://www.lifehappens.org/blog/3-ways-life-insurance-can-benefit-a-charity-you-love/

______________________________________________________________________________________

Disney is set to receive £41million ($50 million)......over Star Wars actress Carrie Fisher’s untimely death after taking out insurance to cover her failing to fulfill a three-film contract.

Fisher died on December 27, aged 60, having suffered a heart attack on a flight from London to Los Angeles. The ensuing insurance payout is thought to be the market’s biggest-ever single personal accident insurance claim, according to trade publication The Insurance Insider.

Fisher is set to have major role in Star Wars Episode VIII, which will be released next year(2018), with filming completed before her death. However, Fisher was also due to have a starring part in Star Wars Episode XI – scheduled for release in 2019 – which is now expected to be substantially re-written in the wake of the actress’ death.

____________________________________________________________________________________

Estate Planning Organization.....Where’s Your Prospect's Stuff?.....When you visit prospects di you ever wonder if there estate plan is organized in a haphazard manner?

Even if they seem well prepared they still need to let their loved ones know where all the important documents are located. That includes estate planning documents like a will and any trusts; financial documents (like investment statements, insurance policies, bank accounts, pensions and retirement accounts), and legal documents (such as the title to a home, vehicles and any other property).

Have they made a detailed record of important documents and assets and important professional contacts including their doctor, banker, financial advisor, insurance agent, clergy and estate planning attorney. A useful tool is my Family Document Locator form.

In addition encourage prospects to have a file of the following:

1. The type of funeral arrangements you have made or would like made;
2. A list of the items in safe deposit boxes, in safes and in any other locked or hidden away places;
3. The combinations and location of keys to any of your secure storage spaces;
4. A family history; and the location of photographs, heirlooms, and other irreplaceable items.

Regardless the storage medium one chooses, store it in a safe place. For example, if you go the notebook route, consider keeping it and all of the important documents in a fireproof metal box or home safe. The second part of this task is to be sure you tell key individuals about your new records. This list should include your estate planning attorney, your designated executor or trustee and your loved ones. After all, your family members are the most important people in your prospects life. Do not delay!

_______________________________________________________________________________

Quiz Answer.....THE LONG-TERM AVERAGE - The S&P 500 stock index has gained an average of +10.2% per year (total return) over the last 50 years (i.e., the years 1967-2016). The index has been positive for the last 8 years (9 consecutive “up” years is the all-time record for the S&P 500) and 13 of the last 14 calendar years. The S&P 500 has been up during 40 of the last 50 years, i.e., 80% of the time (source: BTN Research).

_______________________________________________________________________________

Are you a good closer?.....Have you spent considerable time with a prospect only to have the decision to move forward blocked by some hidden objection? Perhaps it may be your appraoch to closing the order. Consider the following closed end questions as helpful hints for moving prospects to donors.

1. Are you ready to address the estate planning suggestion we discussed?

2. Are you comfortable enough with my recommendations on how to proceed?

3. What do you think? Can we proceed with the gift annuity (insert option) to increase your income and decrease your taxes?

4. Can you see yourself benefiting from the charitable trust (insert option) I outlined?

5. I want to help you move forward. I need the go ahead from you to consult with your advisor.

______________________________________________________________________________________

News and Notes....(returns next issue)

_________________________________________________________________________________________

Kudos Corner - Celebrating gifts of all types and sizes

In this section I periodically highlight some recent gift expectancies and gift program elements I think will be helpful and informative, not all gifts are included.

Jason Chandler, President of Gwinnett Medical Center Foundation received a $1 million single life Testamentary CGA to benefit a 68 year old Florida annuitant with a required 5% payout.

He also received $867,414 for single life Testamentary CGA to benefit a 65 year old Georgia annuitant.

He previously received a $3.5 million bequest from Former Gwinnett Hospital Authority member.

The single largest donation in the Foundation’s history for the Dorothy Shafer Healthcare Endowment.

Randy Redner, Executive Director, Community Foundation for Northeast Georgia, received $1.7 million in December gifts to the Foundation including new donor advised funds for $250,000 and $300,000. The latter funds were generated by the Foundation's professional advisor network.

Sharon Jones FAHP, VP Development Chapters Health System received the $10,000 CGA from a 91 year old donor. This was the donor's 12 agreement with an initial gift value of $130,000.

Rebecca Teahan, Executive Director Northwestern Michigan College Foundation received a $2 million dollar gift from Donna and RIchard Milock partially funded with IRA-QCD transfers. Secured a $10K two-life charitable gift annuity from donors age 76 and 82.

Heather A. Schield CFRE, Associate VP for Institutional Advancement, Keystone College secured a 1-life CGA for $10K from donor age 74, and a 1-life $25K Flexible Deferred CGA from a donor age 66.

______________________________________________________________

James E. Connell and Associates is a national consulting service devoted

to increasing resources for charities using the power of charitable estate and gift planning techniques.

Pinehurst office: PO Box 3335, Pinehurst, NC 28374
Phone: 910-295-6800
Northeast office: 20982 Bayside Avenue, Rock Hall, MD 21661