ASK YOURSELF!
- Do I have a will?
- What values are most important to me?
- How can I demonstrate what I value, far into the future?
- How can I “leave my mark,” create a legacy, in ways that matter?
HERITAGE SOCIETY
If the Highland Community College Foundation is named in your estate plans, and documentation can be provided to the Foundation, you are invited to join the Heritage Society. This esteemed group of Highland supporters is kept informed on current developments and events at the College, and is invited to programs and opportunities that are only for this elite group of donors.
PLANNED GIVING AT HIGHLAND COMMUNITY COLLEGE
There are several ways that you can demonstrate the value you place on education and leave a “lasting legacy, by giving to Highland Community College, through the Foundation. The term “planned giving” refers to donations made to the College that are planned in advance, to be left to the College after your passing. Because it is deferred giving, it enables you to support Highland without impacting your current financial situation. Types of planned gifts include the following:
Bequest Gifts: Designate a specific cash amount or percentage of your estate, or a residual gift after distribution to your heirs.
Charitable Remainder Trusts: Transfer appreciated property and assets in trust to HCC Foundation, and receive regular income from this trust for the rest of your life. Remainder after your passing becomes a gift to HCCF.
Bank Accounts: IRAS, 401(k)s, pensions and other retirement assets.
Life Insurance Policies: HCC Foundation can be named as a beneficiary.
HOW TO MAKE A PLANNED GIFT
Your will, living trust, or planned giving agreement should be drafted by your attorney, accountant or other professional wealth advisor. In cooperation with the Foundation, the professional advisor will provide specific language to ensure that your wishes are carried out.
DESIGNATION OF USE
Ideally, gifts should be designated to Highland Community College Foundation without restrictions. That way, the Foundation and Board of Trustees can determine the best use of each gift, depending on institutional needs and priorities at the time the bequest matures (when the benefactor is deceased).
You can also designate a specific use for a bequest. Most of HCCF’s endowed scholarships resulted from generous estate gifts. In addition, bequest gifts can be designated for capital projects, academic programs, or other needs of the College.
Occasionally, bequest intention documents contain language about facility naming which will result from the gift. Naming rights can be accorded to physical spaces such as buildings, lecture halls, training labs, and classrooms, depending upon the size of the gift.
The Highland Community College Foundation maintains a 501(c)(3) status: therefore, a gift to the Foundation is considered tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.
Find Out More About Planned Giving at HCC
If you have named the Highland Community College Foundation in your estate plans, please let us know. A Letter of Intent Form can be found here. We would like to invite you to become a member of our Heritage Society.
If you would like to receive more information on the strategies and opportunities to provide a legacy for Highland Community College, or other planning options, please contact the HCC Foundation at foundation@highland.edu or by calling 815-599-3413.
My Legacy Planner is a confidential questionnaire that, when completed, allows you to review options related to your estate plan.