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Planned Giving

Legacy Circle – Our Enduring Legacy

“It only takes a few of us to write our history, but it takes all of us to create our future.”

The LGBTQ Community Center of the Desert created the Legacy Circle to honor and thank those who remember the Center with a gift in their estate plans. There are many ways to do this. Some have named the Center to receive a future gift in their will or living trust, while others have named us as a future beneficiary of a life insurance policy, IRA or charitable trust. A variety of options exist.

Most people like to preserve their full control over their assets during life, protecting against future uncertainties. Others may choose to maximize any tax and financial benefits that could result from their philanthropy. It’s all a matter of preference.

These gifts will help the Center fulfill three enduring priorities:
• Ending isolation and loneliness
• Connecting people to resources and community
• Enriching our individual and collective experiences

In addition, with estate planning, everyone can prioritize their loved ones in whatever proportion might be appropriate, providing for the Center only after those needs are met. There is tremendous flexibility to accomplish all your estate planning goals.

For any questions, please contact Mike Thompson at mike@thecentercv.org or 760-281-2599. All inquiries are held in strict confidence. Please know there will never be any expectation or obligation to complete a gift.

Your Gift – Your Impact

With a gift through your estate, you can help create a vibrant and secure community for LGBTQ people in Coachella Valley. Your gift can provide unrestricted support to help strengthen the Center for future generations or provide direct funding for a key strategic initiative. You define the impact you would like to make.

Opportunities include:
• Behavioral Health
• Community Food Bank
• Social and Recreational Activities
• General Support

Ways To Give

Charitable Bequest – By naming The Center in your Will or Living Trust, you create a gift today that we will receive in the future when your estate is settled.

IRA or Workplace Retirement Plan – You can name The Center as a beneficiary of your IRA or workplace retirement plan. To include The Center, simply request a “beneficiary change” form from your IRA custodian or Human Resources department, complete the form, and then return it according to their instructions. Beneficiary change forms are often available online.

Life Insurance – You can name The Center as the beneficiary of a new or existing life insurance policy. To include The Center, simply request a “beneficiary change” form from your life insurance company, complete the form, and return it according to the instructions provided. Most companies make beneficiary change forms available online.

Charitable Gift Annuity – A gift annuity is a simple contract in which The Center agrees to pay you (and/or another person) an income for life, in exchange for a gift you make today.

Charitable Remainder Trust – In the right situations, a charitable remainder trust can provide powerful financial, tax, and estate planning benefits. You donate assets into trust for the eventual benefit of The Center. In the interim, the trust pays an income to you and/or your designated income beneficiaries.

Charitable Lead Trust – A charitable lead trust can provide support for The Center, while transferring assets in the future to heirs with little or no gift or estate tax.

Maximum Flexibility

Revocable Gifts
The future is uncertain. However, you can still create a planned gift today while simultaneously retaining control over these assets for the balance of your life. Such gifts are called revocable gifts. You create the instruction today, but no gift occurs until your estate settles. Until then, you can change your mind. You have total control.

Unless you are confident that you will not outlive your assets, a revocable estate gift is almost always the best option. These gifts are generally one of the following:
• Bequest in a Will or Living Trust
• Beneficiary Designation in IRA or Retirement Plan
• Beneficiary Designation in Life Insurance Policy
• Pay-on-Death arrangement for a bank account

By naming the Center in your will, living trust or as a beneficiary, you can protect yourself against an uncertain future. Should you ever need these assets, they are available. If not, your gift will come to the Center exactly as you desire.

Maximum Tax Benefits

Revocable vs. Irrevocable Gifts
The IRS provides important tax incentives to encourage support for charitable organizations. To qualify for any given tax benefit, a gift typically must be irrevocable. Stated differently, a gift must be complete and not one a donor could reclaim in any way.

Clearly, an irrevocable gift only should be made after proper reflection and consultation with your legal and financial advisors. However, with proper planning, such gifts can provide important income and tax benefits.

Examples of these gifts include Charitable Remainder Trusts, Charitable Lead Trusts and Charitable Gift Annuities.

Our Stories

“The LGBTQ Center has opened its doors to me so that I can transition to living my authentic life! The Center provides opportunities and great networking gatherings to make new friends and be a part of the LGBTQ community!”

Brynn-Christensen Carlisle, They/Them

Information for Advisors

It is always appropriate to consult with your professional advisors when considering an estate gift. Click the button below to download information that can help your advisor facilitate any gift you might wish to make.

Reach Out To Us Today

Each estate gift, large or small, helps strengthen the Center in permanent ways. We would love to help you discover how easy this could be.

To explore your options or to let us know that we are included in your estate plan, email Mike Thompson at mike@thecentercv.org or 760-281-2599. All inquiries will be held in strict confidence.

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Contact us to explore your options or to let us know that we are included in your estate plan. All inquiries will be held in strict confidence.