Create a Legacy Through Your Estate
A gift to Holy Names University in your estate plan (will, trust, retirement, insurance, or other account) provides you with flexibility—enabling you to achieve your financial goals and benefit Holy Names’ future in ways that may not be possible through lifetime gifts.
If your estate is subject to estate tax, giving through your estate plan generates a charitable estate tax deduction, which may result in substantial tax savings.
If you have already included HNU in your estate plans, thank you! We ask that you share this information with Holy Names now so we may honor and celebrate your intention with you. Download and complete our Gift Planning Intention Form and return it to our Advancement Office.
Bequests
A charitable gift from your estate is an easy method of giving that enables you to meet your financial goals, maintain control of your assets, and benefit Holy Names at the same time. No other planned gift is as simple to make or as easy to change should you ever need to do so during your lifetime.
A bequest may be right for you if:
- You want to make a gift to Holy Names University.
- You want the flexibility to modify your intentions as needed.
- You want continued access to your assets during your lifetime, should you need them.
- You are concerned about outliving your resources.
Designating a Bequest: Although an unrestricted bequest is of special value, allowing the University to use it however needed most, many Holy Names donors have special areas of interest that they wish to support. You may designate the use of your bequest for such purposes as financial aid, academic programs, or campus improvements. A bequest may also be used to create a named permanent endowment fund. Endowment funds have minimum giving requirements. Please contact us for details.
Sample Bequest Language for Donors
The following is intended to help you and your attorney in drafting a bequest that meets your philanthropic goals and intentions regarding Holy Names University.
An outright bequest of a stated sum of money, property, or another asset may be worded:
“I give to Holy Names University, Oakland, California, Federal Tax Identification Number 94-1358307, [insert here the exact dollar amount or a description of the particular asset].”
A contingent bequest if the Testator is not survived by certain individuals:
“If [name/s of primary beneficiary/ies] do/es not survive me, then I give to Holy Names University, Oakland, California, Federal Tax Identification Number 94-1358307, [insert here the exact dollar amount, description of the particular asset, or percentage of residual estate].”
Beneficiary Designation
A beneficiary designation is one of the simplest ways to make a gift to Holy Names.
By naming “Holy Names University, Oakland, California” as a tax-exempt beneficiary of your retirement assets, you can eliminate estate and income taxes on the funds—allowing Holy Names to use the full value of the accounts to advance our mission.
You can also designate Holy Names as a beneficiary of your life insurance policy. In fact, you can name both Holy Names and individuals as beneficiaries of life insurance proceeds in whatever percentages you choose. Leaving non-retirement accounts to your heirs will allow them to keep more of your assets.
Contact your plan administrator to include “Holy Names University, Oakland, California”, Federal Tax Identification Number 94-1358307, as a beneficiary.