Gift Planning
A Planned Gift is any donation that requires prayerful consideration of financial, legal or family matters before proceeding. As part of our life of stewardship, we are called to reflect on our personal financial commitment to the Church and to those in need on a regular basis and ensure that all of our plans reflect our gratitude to God the abundance we receive from Him.
Too young for a gift in your will?
“If I die, it’s no big deal, everything will just go to…”
Sound familiar? Only 44% of Saskatchewan residents have a legal will. And most people under age 50 haven’t gotten around to putting a plan in place yet.
However, it’s important to think about the reasons you might not want to leave your estate on “auto-pilot” no matter your age.
1. Consider the possibility that the unexpected like death by accident and illness can happen to anyone, no matter their age
2. A will can be used to name guardians and trustees for young children
3. Even if your estate is small, you should still decide for yourself how your assets will be distributed and to whom
4. Having a will made might seem like a big deal now, but it can save your loved ones from a big and expensive legal and financial headache later
Though there is no such thing as “too soon,” a great time to have this taken care of is when you’re thinking of getting married, buying a home or starting a family. This will ensure that you have the right protection in place if you need it and it’s a time when you will likely be thinking about some big-picture planning for your life and your assets.
In addition to these reasons, responsible financial and estate planning is part of our call to live as good Christian stewards. We recognize that everything we have is received as a gift from our Lord and that it is our duty to generously plan for how those gifts will be put to work in service to others.
Remembering your local parish or reaching out to help others through the Archdiocesan Annual Appeal by including a gift in your will is a sign to others of the significant role that the Catholic faith has played in your life.
The important thing to know is that this isn’t just for rich people. Some younger donors find that planning ideas like leaving a small percentage of their estate to charity, including a disaster clause (ie. if none of my beneficiaries survive, then…), or increasing their life insurance coverage to provide for a gift to charity are all affordable ways to turn a basic legal document into a story about your own commitment to a life of stewardship.
