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How Much Should I Leave to Charity?

3 Ways to Weave Giving Into Your Will

“How much should I leave to Guiding Light and the other ministries close to my heart?”

It’s a practical question asked by those who are working out the details of their wills or trusts.

Your best answer depends on your circumstances, objectives and values. However, many families consider one of three giving models.

  1. Percentage or Tithe. Many individuals allocate a certain percentage of their will toward Guiding Light and other Kingdom causes. Some designate 10 percent to reinforce the biblical concept of tithing to their families.
  2. Child Named Charity. Some families choose to add a “child named Charity” to their wills. By this method, for example, if a couple had four children, each of the children would receive 1/5 of their belongings, and the remaining 1/5 could go toward charity.
  3. Gifts of Assets. People often designate real estate, business interests, life insurance, retirement assets, machinery or even personal collections as gifts to Guiding Light. There are a number of reasons people do this, whether it’s because the property has special meaning, their children have no further use for it or because they wish to protect their families from unnecessary taxes.

What’s the right answer for you? It may be helpful to talk with a trusted ally who can help you sort through all the options to determine the best fit for your goals and circumstances.

Through Guiding Light’s partnership with Barnabas Foundation, you have direct access to this kind of trusted planning support. At no cost to you, you can speak with a planner who will help you identify a plan that honors God, cares for your family and furthers the important mission of your favorite ministries. Learn more by calling Starla at 616-451-0236 x20 or email Starla@GuidingLightWorks.org.

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