How Gifts Can Be Made

An important question for many is how can they participate in the effort to carry out God's will. There are many options depending upon the circumstances of the giver. Over the years, the Westwood Foundation has primarily achieved its growth through traditional memorial gifts, bequests and gifts in honor of persons and special occasions. These have been the bedrock upon which the Foundation has grown, for which we are most thankful.

More recently, however, the Foundation has begun to be the recipient of certain special forms of gifts, such as planned gifts and gifts of appreciated assets, which add another dimension and have the potential to bring the Foundation to a new level in its ability to help secure the future of Westwood, which we love so dearly.

Immediate Gifts

Gifts of cash or appreciated assets can be relatively straight forward. Unlike cash, however, appreciated assets including stocks, bonds, mutual funds, life insurance, and real-estate offer tax advantages to the donor. For income tax purposes, deductions from income are determined by the current value of the asset rather than the original cost. In addition, the capital gains tax on the appreciation does not have to be included as income on your tax return.

Deferred Gifts

Deferred (or planned) gifts come in many forms; the most common of which may be through wills or estates. Other forms of planned gifts include making the Westwood Foundation the beneficiary of a life insurance policy, a retirement plan, or a charitable annuity contract. Creating a charitable trust, providing the Foundation with a lead gift or remainder after your family needs have been covered, is an attractive option. Many in the Westwood congregation have taken advantage of this special IRS sanctioned option.

Are YOU thinking about the legacy that you can leave? Give life to your future by considering a charitable unitrust. The charitable unitrust can be a powerful financial and estate planning tool. We call this the win-win planning arrangement. Your family will win because a charitable unitrust:

May increase the family income
Will help you avoid capital gains tax
Will offset taxable income
Will reduce the size of your taxable estate
Will provide for surviving loved ones
And most of all, it will give you the enjoyment and satisfaction of providing a meaningful gift to benefit Westwood ministries with your name(s) memorialized for the future.

If you wish to learn more about gifting options and what might be best for your needs, please feel free to contact the Foundation President, Dennis Netland, or the Planned Giving Committee chairperson, John Steinke. The Foundation has people skilled in these matters and would be happy to discuss options with you. Or, pick up a Westwood Foundation brochure at any of the information booths throughout the church and fill out the form on the last page and mail it or drop it off at the church office.

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