Planned Gifts

Many Ascension Parishioners and friends live carefully and invest wisely in order to give generously and gratefully of their time, talent and treasure. Generous will bequests, given most recently by Dorothy Lundstrum and Eleanore Dolphin, help fund vital programs at Ascension.

“As someone who has a bequest to Ascension in my will,” says Ascension pastor Michael J. O’Connell, “I can testify to the satisfaction that comes with knowing that my gift will help Ascension continue its ministry after I am gone.” When you consider the personal values you want reflected in your will—your love for family, friends, and the legacy you want to leave in your community—consider including a bequest to a non-profit organization such as Ascension.

At one time, estate planning was considered only for the very wealthy. But no longer. One of the reasons is that the bull market of the last decade has pushed increasingly larger numbers of people into “estate tax territory.” Another reason is that major tax changes have made more of us aware of the potentially devastating effect of estate taxes. There is little doubt that it pays to plan.

Both Lundstrum and Dolphin made Ascension a vital part of their lives. Donating after death is a tangible way to express fondness for Ascension and to help continue its mission.

“Clearly there are strong tax advantages to planned giving and will bequests,” says Melissa Streit, Ascension’s new development director. “But there is also a profound satisfaction that comes with making a planned gift. To be able to acknowledge the people and organizations that have had an impact in your life—and to provide for them for years to come—is an amazing opportunity. I invite you to consider adding Ascension to your will or estate plan”

Developing an Effective Estate Plan

Anyone with money or property that will not be entirely consumed during their life has an estate. Whether large or small, you have the right to distribute that estate as you wish and to decide the persons or institutions that will one day receive your estate assets.

In most cases, effective estate planning involves much more than having a will. Many assets, often called nonprobate assets, do not pass under a will and must be separately planned.

Almost all estates face several major sources of depletion, often in the form of taxes. One purpose of an estate plan is to avoid or minimize depletion due to taxes.

Your personal estate plan is also a wonderful way to carry out your personal objectives. To do this, you should determine exactly what you want to accomplish. After inventorying your assets, you can utilize a variety of planning tools which can help you accomplish your objectives—both during your life and after your life ends.

There are a variety of current and/or future charitable gift options which can carry out your personal objectives and leave a legacy for generations to come. Please contact Melissa Streit in the parish office at (612) 529-9684 to learn more about the value of estate planning.