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Professional Advisors Consider the following facts: While 72 percent of all Americans support the work of charities each year, only 5.7 percent remember nonprofit organizations in their estate plans. The number one reason for this gap: most people say they were never asked, or didn’t think about it. This year, LEAVE A LEGACY® Connecticut is urging its partners in the professional services community to help them close the gap. LEAVE A LEGACY® Connecticut is a statewide coalition of more than 740 nonprofits, professional advisors and community leaders. Now in its eighth year, its goal is to increase the number of bequests to charitable and religious organizations and raise awareness about their benefits. “Financial and estate planners help people secure their family’s financial future,” says Lyn Walker, co-chair of LEAVE A LEGACY® Connecticut, and a partner at Shipman & Goodwin, LLC. “They also play a critical role in getting people to consider bequests to charitable organizations in their community. By talking to clients about charitable planning, professionals can help improve the lives of generations of Connecticut residents.” Walker says there are many simple things that professionals can do to help the group’s cause. She says the group urges professional advisors to ask clients whether they’ve considered leaving a charitable bequest, educate partners and staff members about the campaign, or volunteer to speak to groups about the benefits of bequests. They can even participate by making a legacy gift of their own to the charity of their choice. Each action will make a difference. To find out how to become a participating professional advisor, visit the LA CT website at http://www.leavealegacyct.org or call the Planned Giving Group of Connecticut at (781) 647-7004. ***** Nonprofits Nonprofits feed the poor, comfort the afflicted, teach our children, and empower people to repair their lives. There are nearly 10,000 nonprofit groups in Connecticut, engaged in an enormous range of activities to improve the lives of our state’s residents. But they can’t do it alone. They need the financial support of people throughout the community to do these things. And while most nonprofits are busily engaged in their day-to-day activities, a major opportunity is being missed. Each year, 72 percent of Americans give to charities. But only 5.7 percent leave charitable bequests in their wills, keeping their charitable gifts alive once they’ve passed away. The number one reason people gave for failing to leave a charitable bequest is that they were never asked. That’s why more than 640 nonprofit organizations have joined together to form LEAVE A LEGACY® Connecticut. As a statewide effort, the goal of LEAVE A LEGACY® Connecticut is to persuade people to make wills – up to 70 percent don’t – and to remember charities in their estate plans through bequests. By becoming a member of LEAVE A LEGACY® Connecticut, nonprofit organizations can support the message of charitable giving through bequests, and can gain access to the resources of the campaign, including speakers, brochures, logos, newsletter articles, website links and more. By spreading the word about charitable planning, nonprofit organization can help improve the lives of generations of Connecticut residents. To find out more, visit the LEAVE A LEGACY® Connecticut website at http://www.leavealegacyct.org or call the Planned Giving Group of Connecticut at (781) 647-7004.
***** Consumers Nonprofits feed the poor, comfort the afflicted, teach our children, and empower people to repair their lives. There are nearly 10,000 nonprofit groups in Connecticut, engaged in an enormous range of activities to improve the lives of our state’s residents. The work of these charities is vital, but it requires financial support. For the most part, Connecticut is a generous state. Each year, 72% of our residents leave money to charities. But only 5.7 percent leave charitable bequests in their wills. The number one reason for this gap: most people say they were never asked, or didn’t think about it. LEAVE A LEGACY® Connecticut is a statewide public awareness effort to promote chartable bequests. The campaign encourages people to make gifts from their estates to their favorite nonprofit organizations. We urge people to discuss their intentions with financial and estate planners who specialize in this field. Many estate-planning professional organizations are a part of LEAVE A LEGACY® Connecticut’s collaborative efforts, as are more than 640 CT nonprofit organizations. “Everyone can help, regardless of income, and each gift makes an impact,” says Lyn Walker, co-chair of LEAVE A LEGACY® Connecticut and a partner at Shipman & Goodwin, LLC. Consider including those organizations in your will, so that you can continue to make a difference for generations to come. By remembering nonprofits in your estate plans, you can help improve the lives of generations of Connecticut residents. To find out more, visit the LEAVE A LEGACY® Connecticut website at http://www.leavealegacyct.org or call the United Way’s Infoline at 211
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