The Heritage Club / Endowment

Create experiences beyond your lifetime...

The YMCA established its Heritage Club to honor those friends who, by including the YMCA in their financial and estate planning, have provided valuable resources that enable our programs and services to positively impact the lives of future generations to come through our endowment fund.

To download a copy of our Heritage Club brochure click here.

A planned gift can also bring financial benefits to the donor and their family by reducing or eliminating estate taxes; converting low-yielding assets into a higher income stream at reduced capital gains cost; and producing significant income tax deductions. Donors are encouraged to discuss planned giving strategies with a trusted tax advisor.

There are many different types of planned gifts, including:

Bequests

The YMCA receives a gift provided for in a donor's will. The gift may be a percentage of a donor's estate, a specific dollar amount, the residual of the estate, or a certain piece of personal property. Such a gift may also reduce estate tax obligations; however, a tax advisor should be consulted on the expected results.

Charitable Gift Annuities

In exchange for an irrevocable gift of cash and/or securities, the YMCA will provide fixed income payments to the donor for up to two lifetimes. The gift will provide an immediate charitable income tax deduction and, in most cases, a portion of the payments will be tax-free. The annuity rate is determined by the age of the annuitant(s) at the time the gift is made. The minimum contribution required to establish a charitable gift annuity with the YMCA is $10,000.

Deferred Charitable Gift Annuities

Similar to a charitable gift annuity, the donor receives an immediate income tax deduction for the gift. At a later date (usually retirement) the donor begins receiving a fixed income payment from the YMCA. Because the principal compounds between the date of the gift and first date of payment, the income stream can be significant.

Life Insurance Policies

When the YMCA is named as the beneficiary and owner of a life insurance policy the donor receives an immediate charitable income tax deduction. If the policy is not paid up, this tax deduction is approximately the policy's present cash surrender value. If the donor chooses to continue paying the premiums, he/she will receive a charitable deduction(s) for the amount paid. The full face value of the policy is removed from the donor's taxable estate when the YMCA is named as beneficiary under the policy.

Charitable Remainder Unitrusts

A donor irrevocably transfers cash and/or securities to a trustee (often the YMCA itself) who pays the donor (or other individual) income for life or for an agreed-upon term. The amount to the donor is based on a percentage of the trust principal, recalculated each year, according to any increase in the value of the trust's assets. When the trust expires, the assets become the property of the YMCA.

Charitable Remainder Annuity Trusts

The donor receives a fixed income amount from the gift for the rest of his or her life. The amount to the donor is determined by the initial value of the trust's assets. More than one person may receive income. The principal becomes the property of the YMCA after the last beneficiary dies.

Real Estate

There are several types of real estate gifts. A donor may contribute real estate outright or transfer it in a bargain sale. A donor can use real estate to fund a gift annuity or a net income unitrust, thus converting a non-income producing asset that is presumably highly-appreciated into a life-income arrangement with significant tax benefits. Finally, a donor may make a gift of his or her residence to the YMCA while retaining the right to live in the residence for the rest of his or her life. The donor receives a tax deduction at the time of the gift and when the donor dies the property goes to the YMCA.

We invite you to become a member of our Heritage Club or to make a donation to one of our Endowment Funds. Our Development Office will be happy to meet with you and your financial advisor to design a plan that is uniquely tailored to meet your philanthropic objectives. Please call 720-524-2713 or email Jan Weimer, Vice President of Development at jweimer@denverymca.org.