Charitable gift planning affords you opportunities to have an outsized impact on the causes that matter most to you with the possibility of reducing or eliminating current and future tax liabilities, creating income for you or your loved ones, and preserving wealth for future generations of your family.
Recent and pending changes to the tax code (Tax Cut and Jobs Act, CARES Act, CAA, and BBB) contain provisions incentivizing you to plan how, what, and when you give to charity. If you have recently experienced or are anticipating changes in your personal life or business, we encourage you to partner with us to ensure you're taking full advantage of these incentives.
Wesleyan University's Office of Gift Planning is a ready resource for you and your advisors. We welcome you to have a confidential, no-obligation conversation to align your personal financial situation with your philanthropic goals.
With a planned gift, you can take care of the people and pets you love, while continuing to meet your income needs and benefit from current tax incentives. And, you can support future Wesleyan students and help to ensure the transformative educational experience lives on for generations to come.
If you’re considering planning a gift, this site includes helpful information for you, your financial advisor, and estate planner. And when you’re ready, we’re here to help—reach out to us via the form below or contact one of our team members directly to start a confidential, no obligation conversation to discuss options tailored to you.
When you name Wesleyan University as a beneficiary in your plans, you will be welcomed into the Olin Society. Any planned gift grants you membership, joining a community committed to sustaining the future of Wesleyan by supporting scholarships, faculty development, campus improvements, academic opportunities, and more.
If you've included Wesleyan in your philanthropic plans or intend to do so, please let us know. Sharing your intentions allows us to help you choose the gift that's right for you.
Olin Society owes its name to one of Wesleyan's most honored trustees, Stephen H. Olin, who with his wife, Emeline H. Olin, nurtured the growth of the University into a leading institution. Olin Library, an architectural gem and wellspring of the University's intellectual life, was constructed largely with funds derived from an annuity agreement the Olins made with the institution in 1924.
Stephen Olin's bequest provisions for the University stemmed from a lifetime association with Wesleyan. Born on the campus in 1847 during his father's Wesleyan presidency, he graduated in the Class of 1866 and became a successful copyright law attorney in New York City. During his lifetime, Olin dedicated 45 years of service as a trustee to the University, assuming the post of acting president for the 1922-23 academic year.
Following her husband's death in 1925, Emeline Olin demonstrated her lively ongoing concern for the University. Residing in the brick house next to Eclectic, she took a deep interest in the construction of the new library, later endowing maintenance of the building with a major gift. Wesleyan awarded her an honorary degree in 1931.
The Olin Society has taken as its emblem the scallop shell found on the coat-of-arms of John Wesley. Used in heraldry to signify long journeys to far countries, the scallop shell is a symbolic link to the tradition of social service for which Wesleyan is well known. The much-traveled Wesley started a religious movement in 18th century Britain that stimulated a wide range of social reform movements, reaching full flower in the 19th century. Wesleyan University was founded in 1831 as an enterprise to educate youth for "the good of the world," a goal that endures today.
Olin Society members play an important role in the future growth and success of Wesleyan. We honor our members with:
In addition, we hope you will allow us to further express our gratitude in select publications. Olin Society members often inspire fellow alumni and friends to create their own legacies.
To receive an official welcome into the Olin Society, please provide one of our team members with documentation of your commitment, including purpose and amount, if possible. This will also allow the University to properly recognize and credit you for your generosity.
Not only do you have options for how your gift will be used, you also have options on what to give and how to give. There are gifts that cost you nothing now, gifts that pay you income, and gifts that allow you to decide what happens when.
Naming Wesleyan as the beneficiary of a retirement plan asset such as an IRA, 401(k), or 403(b) will accomplish a charitable goal while realizing a significant tax savings.
Through a provision in your written and executed will or living trust you can make a gift to the University in the form of cash, securities, real estate or personal property. There are many types of bequests. Consult with your attorney to choose the one that best fits your needs and intentions.
You can turn under-performing assets (cash, stock, CDs, savings bonds, etc.) into a gift to Wesleyan that provides income to you or you and a loved one. Your Wesleyan Charitable Gift Annuity will return fixed, quarterly payments for life and provide tax benefits, too.
When you donate appreciated stocks, bonds, or mutual fund shares instead of cash, your gift costs you less than the amount the University receives. You'll get a charitable deduction for the full amount of your gift and avoid the impact of capital gains taxes.
If you're 70 ½ or older, each year, you can instruct your IRA administrator to transfer all or part of your required minimum distribution (up to $105,000 in 2024 and $108,000 in 2025) directly to Wesleyan and avoid paying the tax had you taken it as income.
Like stock, the fair market value of gifts of appreciated assets such as real estate, artwork, and other well-curated collections can be deducted from your income tax today, avoid capital gains, and reduce estate taxes in the future. There are even ways to donate your home and live there as long as you'd like.
Name Wesleyan as a beneficiary of your donor advised fund. Designate the University
to receive all or a portion of the balance of your fund through your fund administrator (you can also make a grant to us at any time from your donor advised fund). The balance in your fund passes to Wesleyan when the fund terminates.
Charitable Remainder Trusts provide you income from an asset that then passes to the University as a gift. Charitable Lead Trusts provide income to Wesleyan before the asset passes to your heirs. For the savvy donor, charitable trusts can provide tax-advantaged income, eliminate capital gains, or preserve assets for your heirs.
Name Wesleyan as the beneficiary of an existing life insurance policy; donate an existing, paid-up life insurance policy you no longer need; or purchase a new life insurance policy and name the University as the owner and beneficiary.
Include a bequest to Wesleyan in your will. You can make your bequest unrestricted or direct it to a specific purpose. You may even indicate a specific amount or percentage of the balance remaining in your estate.
If you express your gift as a percentage (e.g., “20 percent of the residue of my estate”), you can maintain the same relative gifts to charities and your heirs, regardless of changes in estate value. If you're considering designating your gift for a specific purpose, such as a scholarship fund, or support for a specific department, contact us to ensure that we understand your wishes.
You may wish to share the following sample language with your attorney:
Unrestricted bequest"I give (a specific dollar amount/a specific asset, or percentage of the rest, residue, and remainder of my estate) to Wesleyan University, the charitable, tax-exempt organization located in Middletown, Connecticut, for its general purposes."Bequest for a specific purpose
"I give (a specific dollar amount/a specific asset, or percentage of the rest, residue, and remainder of my estate) to Wesleyan University, the charitable, tax-exempt organization located in Middletown, Connecticut, to be used for the following purpose: (state the purpose)."
NOTE: If you wish to restrict your bequest to a specific purpose or program at Wesleyan, please contact the
Office of Advancement
Gift Planning in advance to assure that the language you include will accomplish your wishes and
align with the University’s needs.
If your bequest will be used to establish an endowment fund for a restricted purpose, we recommend that you and your counsel consider adding a “saving clause” to your bequest provision. A “saving clause” is a way to ensure the usefulness and relevance of your bequest in the future as the University’s needs and priorities change. For example:
"If, in the future, it is the opinion of the Board of Trustees at Wesleyan University that all or part of the income of this fund cannot be usefully applied to such purpose, it may be used for any related purpose which, in the sole opinion of the Board of Trustees, will most nearly accomplish my wishes."Download a Guide to Giving in Your Will Document Your Gift
Designate Wesleyan as a beneficiary of part or all of your qualified retirement plan or your IRA. Normally the assets held in an IRA or qualified retirement plan will be subject to both income tax and estate taxes, but if you name the University as a beneficiary of a percentage (or all) of your plan, that portion will pass to Wesleyan free of income or estate taxes.
Designate your bank account to be payable on death (P.O.D.) to Wesleyan when you die. There is no change in ownership, control, or benefit from this account while you're still alive. The payable on death designation takes effect only when you die, and causes whatever funds that are in the account to go to Wesleyan at your death.
Designate your brokerage or investment account to be transferable on death (T.O.D.) to Wesleyan when you die. It's not necessary for the T.O.D. designation to transfer all of the account solely to Wesleyan. You can designate percentages of the account to pass to additional beneficiaries. To set up the T.O.D. endorsement, contact your investment advisor and provide the instructions regarding the change.
A charitable gift annuity allows you to gain the security of fixed, guaranteed payments for life, receive a tax deduction for a portion of your gift, and make a gift to Wesleyan that you may not have thought possible.
At the death of your last income beneficiary, the remaining annuity assets are transferred to the University to be used for a purpose you may designate or Wesleyan's greatest need.
Download a Guide to Establishing a CGA CloseIf you don't need income right away, you can obtain both a higher payout rate and a larger charitable deduction by establishing a deferred charitable gift annuity. A deferred gift annuity allows you to receive a guaranteed, fixed income for life that begins when you need it, and receive a tax deduction for a portion of your gift to Wesleyan.
At the death of your last income beneficiary, the remaining annuity assets are transferred to the University to be used for a purpose you may designate or for the University's greatest need.
The minimum for establishing a charitable gift annuity with Wesleyan is $10,000.
CloseCharitable remainder trusts allow you to make a gift of cash, stock, or real estate to Wesleyan, receive a tax deduction for a portion of your gift, and receive variable income from your unitrust for life.
When the term of the trust concludes, the remaining trust assets are transferred to Wesleyan to support the university's mission or for a purpose you designate.
The minimum for establishing a charitable remainder unitrust through Wesleyan is $100,000. Future additions to the trust can be made in any amount.
Download a Guide to Establishing a CRUT CloseGiving publicly traded shares of stock, bonds or mutual funds to Wesleyan allows you to turn an appreciated asset into support for students and faculty.
You’ll receive a charitable income tax deduction for the fair market value of your gift, and as a qualified non-profit, Wesleyan can then sell the stock without having to pay capital gains tax. All the proceeds from the sale will be used for the charitable purposes you specify.
Own your own business? It's also possible to give closely held stock to Wesleyan.
If you own your own business, the stock in your company has virtually no cost basis, making it subject to significant capital gains when you're ready to sell.
While potentially very tax-advantaged, gifts of closely held stock are not without their complexities and require thoughtful consideration on the part of all parties including: the shareholder, the company issuing the stock and Wesleyan.
Download Securities Transfer Instructions CloseUsing real estate to make a gift allows you to turn an asset into support for students and faculty at Wesleyan, receive a charitable income tax deduction, and potentially avoid paying capital gains taxes.
The real cost of your gift is reduced, since you'll save on income and capital gains taxes by giving appreciated property to Wesleyan. You can use real estate to make a variety of different types of gifts, including:
A retained life estate allows you to make a gift of a personal residence or farm to Wesleyan, receive a tax deduction for a portion of your gift, and continue to use your property while you are still alive
At the end of your life, Wesleyan can use the property or the proceeds from the sale of the property—either for the University's greatest need or for a purpose you specify.
The minimum gift for establishing a retained life estate with Wesleyan is $100,000.
CloseMaking a gift of life insurance allows you to transfer ownership of a paid-up life insurance policy to the University. Wesleyan elects to cash in the policy now or hold it.
Designate the University to receive all or a portion of the balance of your fund through your fund administrator (you can also make a grant to us at any time from your donor advised fund). The balance in your fund passes to Wesleyan when it terminates.
A grantor charitable lead trust allows you to give an annual income to Wesleyan, receive a charitable income tax deduction, and retain the trust principal when the trust's term ends.
A charitable remainder unitrust allows you to donate cash or appreciated assets and receive annual payments as a fixed percentage of the trusts value. When the value of the trust increases, so do your payments and your gift to Wesleyan. Your donation qualifies for an immediate tax deduction, and the assets in the trust are exempt from capital gains taxes.
Download a Guide to Establishing a CRUTA flip unitrust allows you to donate illiquid assets like business interests or assets earning little or no income like real estate to receive an immediate tax deduction, and allow the value of those assets to appreciate in the trust tax free. When they are sold, the trust ‘flips’ to a conventional charitable remainder unitrust and income payments to the beneficiary begin.
A family trust is also called a charitable lead trust because the charity takes the 'lead' in receiving income for a period of time with the remaining assets going to the donor’s family when the term of the trust expires. The donor receives an immediate tax deduction for their gift, and the assets that pass to the family.
Download a Guide to Establishing a CLTIf you're 70 ½ or older, each year, you can instruct your IRA administrator to transfer all or part of your required minimum distribution (up to $108,000 in 2025) directly to Wesleyan and avoid paying the tax had you taken it as income.
An IRA Rollover allows you to make a gift to Wesleyan directly from your IRA, pay no taxes on the transfer, and count the gift toward your required minimum distribution.
The charitable IRA rollover allows donors to exclude certain transfers of Individual Retirement Account (IRA) assets that are made directly to public charities from their taxable income.
A charitable IRA rollover makes it easier to use IRA assets, during lifetime, to make charitable gifts.
An individual taxpayer's total charitable IRA rollover gifts cannot exceed $108,000 per tax year.
Support Wesleyan with Your IRA Download a Guide to a Charitable IRA Rollover
When John Pallein returned to campus in 2000 for the first time since his graduation, everything had changed… and nothing had changed. John embraced both the old and new Wesleyan with enthusiasm.
Throughout his life, John had expressed his appreciation for the Wesleyan scholarship that transformed his world, noting that "the Wesleyan experience is an extraordinary gift."
In 2004, John signed a letter of intent setting aside the majority of his estate for Wesleyan. This commitment established the John H. Pallein Endowed Scholarship Fund.
Soon after formalizing his bequest, John witnessed the early benefits of his gift in action – two four-year scholarships granted to students in his name. In June of 2008, John Pallein passed away, but his legacy lives on, providing scholarship funding for students in perpetuity. Promising young minds continue to receive the gift of a Wesleyan education as a direct result of John Pallein's passionate belief in the University.
Hirut is impressed by the "culture of values" she sees in Wesleyan students. She knows they will "effect change because they're never complacent." An international management specialist, Hirut helps people around the world – from financial reforms in Congo to healthcare in Rwanda to her work as a leadership-coaching consultant at the World Bank Institute's global leadership program.
"Wesleyan makes it normal to be different. Students take a creative path you wouldn't find at another school. I wanted to find a meaningful way to support future students as they make their own journey down that path towards changing the world."
Hirut is making a future contribution to Wesleyan by leveraging her retirement plan. She's made Wesleyan a beneficiary of her IRA, a gift she knows will one day help students in their quest to change the world.
John Hall arrived on campus in 1961, "a kid from a New Jersey public school," worked his way through Wesleyan (including a stint as Houseman at his fraternity) and "was very fortunate to have some scholarship help." After a long career as an attorney, John is now involved with pro-bono work, especially with the New York nonprofit Prep for Prep, which helps promising students of color succeed in independent schools. John is pleased to share that more Prep for Prep students attend Wesleyan than any other college, saying Wesleyan "is uniquely positioned to create opportunities and offer support."
"This is an education with a capital "E" and so many enormously talented young people need and deserve scholarships. I'm delighted I can help."
John is endowing a scholarship by including a charitable bequest to Wesleyan in his estate plans.
Hirut is impressed by the "culture of values" she sees in Wesleyan students. She knows they will "effect change because they're never complacent." An international management specialist, Hirut helps people around the world – from financial reforms in Congo to healthcare in Rwanda to her work as a leadership-coaching consultant at the World Bank Institute's (WBI) global leadership program.
"Wesleyan makes it normal to be different. Students take a creative path you wouldn't find at another school. I wanted to find a meaningful way to support future students as they make their own journey down that path towards changing the world."
Hirut is making a future contribution to Wesleyan by leveraging her retirement plan. She's made Wesleyan a beneficiary of her IRA, a gift she knows will one day help students in their quest to change the world.
With savings in the same bank that Joseph Lee Heywood himself once defended, Doug '64 and Ruth Crane thought creating a charitable gift annuity was the perfect idea. It makes them members of the Heywood Society, and it benefits the place they both love dearly. "Wesleyan as a physical place is very important to me," Doug says. "Living in Northfield, we have the benefit of seeing improvements and also the consistency. The quality of teaching and the connections faculty make with students have been there since I was there."
The Cranes' ties to the school go way back. When Ruth was young, her grandmother used to bring her to Mai Fete and the arboretum. When Doug was a student, Ruth continued to visit Wesleyan to see him; they were even married by a Wesleyan trustee, just a week after Doug graduated.
Fifty years later, as reunion approached, members of the Class of '64 encouraged each other to be as generous as possible. "The incredible power of all of us giving together created a connection with my classmates," Doug says. The Cranes chose a charitable gift annuity because its rate of return was higher than interest rates, and the charitable deduction and tax-free portion were an added bonus.
To Doug and Ruth, Wesleyan and Northfield are intertwined. An economics major, Doug worked as a finance officer for the Northfield School District— his office was in the former Northfield Middle School, now the Weitz Center for Creativity. Ruth, who studied Norwegian and women's studies at St. Olaf, has worked at Gould Library and at the Norwegian-American Historical Association. Now happily retired and living just minutes from campus, the couple enjoys traveling, visiting their 5-year-old granddaughter, and taking part in the Class of 1964 mini-reunions.
"I loved my experience at Wesleyan to a great degree because of place," Doug said. Happily, he and Ruth are taking part in preserving that place for future generations of Carls.
Despite the myth of the self-made man, Courtenay Brown '95 believes no one would be whom he or she is today without learning from others. Everyone is a product of someone else's teachings and assistance, he says. That's why education is pivotal.
"No matter what you've done in life, there is always someone who gave you a break," Brown says. "You're a product of what you learned in school and from your family and friends."
As an international relations major who has worked in international finance for almost his entire career, Brown has always contributed what he could to the college and says his annual gift to Wesleyan is "his most important donation of the year."
"To the extent we can, we should help provide for future generations," he says, which is why Brown and his wife, Whitney Burroughs, also chose to include Wesleyan in their estate plans. In doing so, he and Burroughs are able to contribute in a more significant way than they previously thought possible and help provide that pivotal break for someone else.
"Planned giving seems like such a complicated and large decision, but in reality, it could be as large or small as you want," he says.
"It's not fun thinking about death," Brown says, but it is necessary. In addition to helping future generations, their decision to include Wesleyan in their estate plans was also practical. He and Burroughs wanted to make sure their two young daughters would be provided for, and beyond that, they made sure the values that they hold—such as high-quality, liberal arts education—were remembered as well. They didn't want to worry about their assets being tied up in probate court, inaccessible to their daughters.
So they met with an estate lawyer and decided to establish a revocable trust. Brown had always thought of trusts as options for very wealthy people, but after some investigation, he found that's not the case at all. And once the trust was established, adding Wesleyan as a beneficiary was a "logical decision that felt really good."
Though he didn't realize it at the time, honoring Wesleyan in his will qualified Brown as a member of the Heywood Society—a fact he learned just in time for his 20th reunion. "Becoming a member of the Heywood Society is just another way to say thanks to Wesleyan," says Brown.
Beverlee DeCoux may have retired as Wesleyan's comptroller and moved to Texas for most of the year, but finances and the college are never far from her mind. So when she started thinking about selling a piece of land she owned, she crunched a few numbers. Immediately, the school that had influenced her professionally and personally sprang to mind.
"The land was producing very little net income, but if I would have sold it, I would have had significant taxes," DeCoux says. A planned gift helped her increase her income, avoid capital gains taxes, claim a charitable tax deduction, and invest in a place she feels is developing students to understand the world and do some good in it. She was able to accomplish all of these things through a flip charitable remainder unitrust.
"This was a way to honor the wonderful experience I had as a Wesleyan employee and the good Wesleyan does," she says.
Because she worked at Wesleyan for 32 years, DeCoux was familiar with unitrust gifts and with Kaspick & Company, which manages this type of gift for Wesleyan. "I'd always known how it worked— in fact, I even gave speeches on why this was a good option for retirement when I was in Toastmasters," she says.
As DeCoux planned her retirement, she wanted something she could count on for more income. The proceeds from the sale of the gifted land were invested, and the investments are valued annually. She then receives 5 percent of the market value each year for her lifetime.
"To me, it feels like a steady income," DeCoux says. "While the income varies with market value of the assets, the highly skilled and experienced professional managers, Kaspick, are investing both for me, the beneficiary, and for Wesleyan in the long run. The managers are seeking long-term growth so that Wesleyan will have as much as possible when the fund matures."
With a unitrust, donors may choose an endowed fund with their name, but DeCoux chose the money from her gift to be unrestricted, wanting the college to have the flexibility to apply it to the area of greatest need.
"It was just such a terrific experience to work there," she says of her time at Wesleyan. "My bosses and coworkers were wonderful. I was fortunate enough to be in contact with some of the trustees and see their dedication and selflessness. I worked with faculty members on committees and saw their dedication to the students—and, of course, the students themselves."
If it hadn't been for Wesleyan, Beach Hall '53 and Marianne Kalivoda Hall '53—better known as Kellie—would never have met. The transition into college proved to be an important one for the rest of their lives: By the end of their first month on campus, they were dating.
"Those were the days that you kissed goodnight in the snowbank, not in the hallway," Beach says.
They were good years, the Halls recall. They both have fond memories of attending Wesleyan during the President Gould years, editing the Algol, and fighting for the only time on campus in Scoville Library.
"Neither one of us can remember what it was about," Kellie says with a laugh. As the couple moved on, to Beach's Army days, to Indiana, to Michigan, and to later stages of their lives, Wesleyan remained important. The couple ran alumni meetings and served as admissions representatives in the Indiana and Detroit areas, and Kellie has edited their class newsletter since 1995. They also served as co-chairs for their 50th, 55th, and 60th class reunions.
"Wesleyan's education has served us well through all our lives," Kellie says. "It's still a great school, and we're happy to support it."
When the time came to transition once more, to simplify their lives, the Halls decided to sell their vacation condo in Colorado. To avoid capital gains, their CPA suggested they donate the property rather than sell it. Wesleyan was their charity of choice.
"We weren't using it as much, and Wesleyan has meant a lot to us over the years," Beach said. "And we didn't have the bother of dealing with a real estate sale from another state." The process of the bargain sale was simple. The Halls sold the property to the college for a nominal price so they could pay the small remainder of the condo's mortgage; Wesleyan then sold the property and kept the proceeds. In the Halls' case, the money from that sale was added to a scholarship they had previously created to fund through their IRAs. It feels good, the couple says, to see that scholarship begin to be awarded while they are still alive.
"With the bargain sale, we weren't out of pocket anything," Kellie says. "We came out all right, and the college came out ahead."
The world opened up for Robert Millner after graduating from Wesleyan in ’71. “It was an excellent education,” he says. “We had superb teachers, met wonderful classmates, and learned skills and ideas that have served me well throughout my life.”
As a class agent, Robert knew about Charitable Gift Annuities—and knew that they were a great investment. With an immediate charitable deduction, a great rate of return that provided income for life, and the balance going to Wesleyan, Robert knew a CGA was the right choice for him.
“There are lots of opportunities,” he says. “If you don’t want to do a CGA, one of the most basic ways is to include Wesleyan in your will or estate plan.
It is not burdensome, and it shows your intention to create a legacy.”
Robert is right—there are many ways to support Wesleyan, many that allow you to support the causes most important to you without having to write a check or impact your cash flow. Read more about the Consolidated Appropiations Act 2023 or contact the Gift Planning Team to explore your options.
Jeanne Li ’18 made a planned gift as a way to give back to Wesleyan.
As a recipient of generous scholarship aid, Jeanne Li came to Wesleyan as a first-generation college student not sure what to expect. What she found was a supportive and diverse community focused on high quality learning, along with a wealth of opportunities available to her.
“I received so much care and help at Wesleyan, I wondered if there was something I could do to give back. As I learned more about financial planning, I decided to name Wesleyan as a beneficiary in my will,” says Jeanne, “It was time to make this happen, and it makes me really happy that I can take action.”
By naming Wesleyan as a beneficiary, Jeanne is taking control of her financial future, making an impact at Wes, and humbly enjoying a sense of satisfaction—“It makes me so happy! I thought I needed to have ‘XYZ’ amount before I could give back to my campus, or that the way I could give back is to write a giant check, but that’s absolutely not the case,” she says, “There are so many ways to give, there’s something that will be suitable for the way someone wants to give. It doesn’t matter your age or how long ago you graduated, just having the thought or intention will make it work.”
Jeanne would not have been able to attend without the generous support of alumni before her. Through her gift, she can support what’s meaningful to her &emdash; including scholarships and student research &emdash; and join other planned gifts making an impact all throughout campus for improvements, co-curricular opportunities, and more. And because her planned gift costs her nothing now, she has the option of continuing her annual support.
“I very much encourage younger graduates/recent alums to take action if a planned gift has come into your thoughts. There are a lot more resources and options than you would imagine.”
To learn more, contact one of our team members or fill out our inquiry form.
By the time she was just 12 years old, June Jeffries ’75 knew she’d go to a New England school.
At 16, she sat with an almanac and made a list of colleges she’d like to attend. As a National Merit Semi-finalist, she had many options, but she ultimately chose Wesleyan. “I knew it was the best for me, and I couldn’t have been happier!” recalls June.
Years later, she still believes Wes was right for her. Her connection has stayed strong, often attending alumni events, and even celebrating her Goddaughter’s graduation on campus. Over the years, she always kept Wesleyan in mind, even in the times she couldn’t visit in person. And it was her time at Wesleyan that she recalled as she was updating her retirement plans.
“I had made gifts before,” says June, “but I wanted to do something more long term, so I added Wesleyan as a surviving beneficiary of a life insurance policy.” As former Chair of the Black Alumni Council, she has seen the impact of planned gifts like hers can have on the University, and ultimately on our students. “I want to support Wesleyan so they can continue their mission,” she says.
Just as her insightful forethought led her to Wesleyan as a student, through thoughtful planning, June has created a legacy that costs her nothing now. Planned gifts are a savvy way to support Wesleyan that often allows donors to give more than they thought they could. Consider making Wesleyan a beneficiary of your will or trust, a retirement account such as an IRA or 401(k), a life insurance policy, or other account. It’s an easy way to provide future support without affecting your current assets or cashflow. “We all want to care for our families first,” says June, “then I thought about what else I could do that would affect something I truly care about.”
Read more about the Consolidated Appropiations Act 2023 or contact the Gift Planning Team to explore your options.
Planning your estate and legacy for future generations including your charitable interests takes careful evaluation.
Discussing your charitable intentions with us can lead to a much better result than going it alone - and will ensure that your gift is used just as you wish. Act now to be a good steward of the resources you intend to leave behind. Please use the contact info below, or submit this form to get more information.
If you are working with a professional advisor, or advising a donor, here's a handy guide for including Wesleyan University in a charitable estate plan.