For over two decades, Siddhartha School Project has benefited from the generosity of people who remembered Khen Rinpoche and the children of Ladakh in their estate planning. Such support is extremely important to us and is greatly appreciated.
Here are four ways you might consider including a gift to SSP in your financial plans:
1. Check to see if you qualify for a matching gift from your employer – The easiest way to double—or even triple—your contribution to Siddhartha School Project is to request a matching gift from your employer.
Check to see if your company has a matching gift program before making your donation… and then watch it grow!
Need help? Email us–we are happy to contact your company to see if your donation will qualify. If you have any questions about matching gifts to Siddhartha School Project, we are here to help you.
2. Ask your heirs to give a gift to us in your memory.
A few good reasons to make use of this unusual charitable planned giving strategy:
- You already have your plans the way you want them and you don’t want to revise your will.
- Your estate will not be able to take advantage of a tax deduction for bequests to charity.
- You trust your heirs to carry out your wishes even if they are not legally required to do so.
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If you are leaving most of your assets to your children, grandchildren, a few close friends, etc., you could arrange with one or more of them to donate a small portion of their inheritance to us in your memory. They would get an income tax deduction for the gift when they make it, reducing the cost to them.
3. Name Siddhartha School Project as one of the beneficiaries of whatever remains in your IRA or retirement plan.
Most people won’t need all the money in their IRA or other retirement plan. If you leave the remainder to your heirs, there will be income tax to pay, and maybe state or federal estate taxes.
If you leave the remainder to Siddhartha School Project, you will help generations of Ladakhi children striving to improve their communities and sustain Ladakhi culture. There will be no taxes due.
Changing the beneficiary of an IRA is not difficult to do. Simply request a change of beneficiary form from the company managing the plan and follow the instructions.
4. Arrange for the remainder in a savings or stock account to go to Siddhartha School Project.
It is possible to rename a bank savings account in such a way that at your death whatever funds remain in the account pass automatically to us. While you are living, only you can put money in or take anything out of the account. This is a revocable arrangement, meaning you can always become the sole owner again. It is easy to do. Simply tell the bank officer than you want to rename the account as “(Your name) in trust for Siddhartha School Project”.
The terminology for a stock account future gift is a TDO, or transfer on death account. Speak with your broker and say you want to rename the account in such a way that anything in the account at your death automatically becomes the property of our organization.
5. Make Siddhartha School Project a beneficiary of a life insurance policy you already own.
If you have life insurance you have probably named your spouse, children or other relative as the beneficiary. We are not suggesting that you change that, just that you include us as well. We’re happy for whatever you choose to leave us to help Siddhartha School! As with the gift from an IRA, it is a fairly simple matter to request a change of beneficiary form from the insurance company and follow the instructions.
