Planned Giving Gardner House.  The Crow’s Nest.  Woodland Hall.  Norembega Park.  Bragdon Hill.  All of these hold a special place in the minds of our alumni.  How can you help ensure that today’s students continue to receive the same quality education and graduate with the same vivid memories of their Lasell experience?  One creative way is to provide long-term support for Lasell and its students through a planned gift. What is a Planned Gift? A planned gift is a gift that, in most cases, will benefit Lasell at some future point in time, help build the College’s endowment, and qualify donors for membership in the Heritage Society. Unlike an outright gift that provides Lasell with full benefit upon receipt (such as a gift to the Annual Fund), a planned gift defers the College's use of transferred assets until the death of a donor, or until the end of a specified period of time. In return, donors and their families may receive important estate and income tax benefits, and, depending upon their gift, an attractive annual income stream for their life or the life of a secondary beneficiary. Below is a menu of planned gift options available at Lasell.  To receive additional information on these options and how they could work with your particular circumstance, please attached call (617) 243-2140.  Please keep in mind that Lasell College is a charitable, educational institution and is not engaged in rendering legal and tax advice.  Consultation with your financial advisor on each of these options is recommended. Bequests A bequest is a provision in your will or living trust that directs a portion of your estate be transferred to Lasell College at a time subsequent to your death.  We are happy to provide sample language to match your intentions. Charitable Gift Annuity A charitable gift annuity pays the donor and/or other named beneficiaries a fixed income each year for life.  The amount of this income depends on the age of the annuitant (at least age 60) at the time the annuity is established.  The older the annuitant, the greater the amount of income.  The minimum gift amount to establish a charitable gift annuity is $10,000 in cash or securities. Deferred Gift Annuity A deferred gift annuity works similarly to and has the same requirements as a charitable gift annuity.  However, payments begin at a future date chosen by the donor. Charitable Remainder Trust A charitable remainder trust enables donors to transfer cash, securities, real estate, or other assets to Lasell while retaining the right to name one or more persons, including the donor, to receive a generous income for a period of time—usually for life.  There are two basic types of charitable trusts, the annuity trust, which pays a fixed dollar amount of income each year, and the unitrust, which pays out a fixed percentage of the trust's assets each year.  The minimum gift amount to establish a charitable remainder trust is $100,000. Charitable Lead Trust A charitable lead trust provides immediate support to Lasell, while also reducing or eliminating the tax cost of transferring wealth to children or grandchildren.  Basic lead trust options include a grantor trust in which the donor keeps a "reversionary" interest in the trust, i.e., he or she will get back all or part of the principal when the trust ends and a non-grantor trust in which the donor gives up all rights to the trust and principal is distributed to others (usually children or grandchildren) at the end of the trust term.  The minimum gift amount to establish a charitable lead trust is $250,000 in cash or securities. Retained Life Estate A retained life estate allows you to irrevocably deed your primary residence, vacation home or farm to Lasell while retaining the right to live in it for the rest of your life. In addition, you continue to be responsible for all routine expenses including maintenance fees, insurance, property taxes, repairs, etc. Retirement plans You may name Lasell as a partial or full beneficiary of your 401K, IRA, pension fund, or other retirement plan, resulting in significant income and estate tax savings.  Life Insurance Similar to a bequest or retirement plan, you may make Lasell the beneficiary or owner of your life insurance policy. The Heritage Society and Benefits of Membership In 1991, President Thomas E.J. de Witt and the Lasell Board of Trustees established the Heritage Society to honor those thoughtful individuals who have supported Lasell through a planned gift.  Members of the Heritage Society receive a welcome gift and certificate upon joining, invitations to special events at Lasell, and acknowledgment in Lasell’s annual report and other donor listings (unless choosing to remain anonymous).  Most importantly, Heritage Society members have the satisfaction of knowing that they are providing long-term support to allow Lasell to plan for the future, realize cherished goals, and maintain financial stability all for the benefit of its greatest asset – its students. Ruth Shuman, Dean for Institutional Advancement Lasell College 1844 Commonwealth Avenue Newton, Massachusetts 02466 or (617)-243-2140 Return to the Annual Fund Web page.