An excellent way for you to support Concordia Seminary's mission is to leave us a bequest in your will, living trust or with a codicil. One significant benefit of making a gift by bequest is that it allows you to continue to use the property you will leave to charity during your life. Another benefit is that you are able to leave a lasting legacy.
Types of Bequests
There are a number of ways you can make a bequest to Concordia Seminary.
Specific Bequest. A specific bequest involves making a gift of a specific asset such as real estate, a car, other property or a gift for a specific dollar amount. For example, you may wish to leave your home or $10,000 to Concordia Seminary.
Percentage Bequest. Another kind of specific bequest involves leaving a specific percentage of your overall estate to charity. For example, you may wish to leave 10% of your estate to Concordia Seminary.
Residual Bequest. A residual bequest is made from the balance of an estate after the will or trust has given away each of the specific bequests. A common residual bequest involves leaving a percentage of the residue of the estate to charity. For example, you may wish to leave 30% of the residue of your estate to Concordia Seminary.
Contingent Bequest. A contingent bequest is made to charity only if the purpose of the primary bequest cannot be met. For example, you could leave specific property, such as a vacation home, to a relative, but the bequest language could provide that if the relative is not alive at the time of your death, the vacation home will go to Concordia Seminary.
Bequest Benefits
A bequest is generally a revocable gift, which means it can be changed or modified at any time. You can choose to designate that a bequest be used for a general or specific purpose so you have the peace of mind knowing that your gift will be used as intended. Bequests are exempt from federal estate taxes. If you have a taxable estate, the estate tax charitable deduction may offset or eliminate estate taxes, resulting in a larger inheritance for your heirs.
Bequest Language
In order to make a bequest, you should speak with your attorney. Your attorney can help you include a bequest to Concordia Seminary in your estate plan. We have provided some basic bequest language to assist you and your attorney.
1. Specific Bequest
If you are considering making an outright bequest to Concordia Seminary, we recommend the following language:
Bequest of a Specific Dollar Amount
I/we wish to support God's works after our passing by providing a gift to Concordia Seminary, 801 Seminary Place, St. Louis, MO 63105 (Federal Tax Identification #43-0655869) as a beneficiary in my/our estate for the specific sum of $________ designated for _________________. (You may choose unrestricted, wherever need is greatest, student aid, endowment, etc.)
Bequest of Specific Personal Property
I/we hereby give, devise and bequeath DESCRIPTION OF PROPERTY to Concordia Seminary, 801 Seminary Place, St. Louis, MO, 63105, (Federal Tax ID #43-0655869) designated for _________________________. (You may choose unrestricted, wherever need is greatest, student aid, endowment, etc.)
Bequest of Specific Real Estate
I/we hereby give, devise and bequeath all of the right, title and interest in and to the real estate located at ADDRESS OR DESCRIPTION OF PROPERTY to Concordia Seminary, 801 Seminary Place, St. Louis, MO, 63105, (Federal Tax ID #43-0655869) designated for __________________. (You may choose unrestricted, wherever need is greatest, student aid, endowment, etc.)
2. Percentage Bequest
If you are considering making a bequest of a percentage of your estate to Concordia Seminary, we recommend the following language:
I/we wish to support God's works after our passing by providing a gift to Concordia Seminary, 801 Seminary Place, St. Louis, MO 63105 (Federal Tax Identification #43-0655869) as a beneficiary in my/our estate for ______ percent of my/our estate designated for _______________. (You may choose unrestricted, wherever need is greatest, student aid, endowment, etc.)
3. Residual Bequest
I hereby give, devise and bequeath to Concordia Seminary, a nonprofit organization located at 801 Seminary Place, St. Louis, MO, 63105, (Federal Tax ID # 43-0655869) ALL OR A PERCENTAGE of the rest, residue and remainder of my estate to be used for Concordia Seminary's general use and purpose.
4. Contingent Bequest
If (primary beneficiary) does not survive me, then I hereby give, devise and bequeath to Concordia Seminary, 801 Seminary Place, St. Louis, MO, 63105, (Federal Tax ID #43-0655869) DESCRIPTION OF PROPERTY to be used for Concordia Seminary's general use and purpose.
Restricted Bequests
If you are considering a bequest but would like to ensure that your bequest will be used for a specific purpose, please let us know. We would be happy to work with you and your attorney to help you identify ways to give and meet your charitable objectives. We will also work with you and your attorney to craft language to accomplish your goals.
If you are making a restricted bequest, we recommend that your attorney include the following provision to give Concordia Seminary flexibility should it no longer be possible for Concordia Seminary to use your gift as you originally intended:
If, in the judgment of the Board of Regents of Concordia Seminary, it shall become impossible for Concordia Seminary to use this bequest to accomplish the specific purposes of this bequest, Concordia Seminary may use the income and principal of this gift for such purpose or purposes as the Board determines is most closely related to the restricted purpose of my bequest.
Contact Us
If you have any questions about how to make a bequest to Concordia Seminary or to request any additional information that might be helpful to you and your attorney as you consider making a bequest to us, please contact us at 314-505-7595.
Also, if you have included a bequest for Concordia Seminary in your estate plan, please let us know. We would like to thank you and recognize you in our
Legacy Society.
