Bequests
Many of our friends and supporters have realized the enormous satisfaction and tax advantages of leaving a meaningful legacy of healing and hope that ensures a brighter and healthier future for our community through a bequest to one of our foundations. It is never too early or too late to include one of our foundations in your will or in a trust agreement. No matter what your age or financial situation, you can provide for our organization through a bequest. Leaving a legacy gift affirms your estate planning intentions and ensures that you, not the government, determine how your assets will be distributed.
Making a bequest is easy to do. It can take many forms, such as an outright gift of cash, a gift of real estate, a gift of securities or a percentage of your estate. Your attorney can include the necessary language in your will, in a codicil to your will or in either a revocable or irrevocable trust. For example, to leave a specific dollar amount or a percentage of your estate, the following wording can be used:
I give, devise, and bequeath to (Santa Rosa Children's Hospital Foundation and/or Friends of CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Foundation), 343 West Houston Street, Suite 505, San Antonio, Texas 78205 ______________________ (Insert the sum or description of the asset you wish to leave; or a portion or all of the residue of your estate), to be used for the benefit of the Foundation’s health care mission in such a manner as the Board of Directors of the Foundation thereof may direct.
Many donors wish to support a special program or need of our organization or a particular department or service of our hospitals. In this case, you may add additional language that will clearly state the intended purpose to which your bequest should be used. Any bequest you make to support our organization entitles you to a tax deduction that may significantly lessen your estate tax burden. But more importantly, your bequest is a simple and meaningful way to make a gift that will benefit the health care of generations to come.