Planned Giving Websites

Here is a hint or reality check: If you, yourself, have even the slightest difficulty in using a PG calculator, your prospect will not be able to use it at all. We don't take a position on the question, but we do know that confusing and poorly designed calculators will frustrate and turn off prospects. 

The obvious "pro" of a typical online calculator is that it makes the financial benefits of a gift plan more tangible to prospects, and thus can engage prospects in the gift process more deeply. Here are some of the "cons":

• They get very little use.
• Donors who use them may end up finalizing gift plans without talking to you.
• A donor can easily choose the wrong gift plan to calculate.
• Calculators cover standard life-income arrangements, but most do not cover more complex transfers, including: IRAs, life insurance, etc.
• What if a donor calculates a high payout rate and becomes disappointed when your organization can't offer it?

One calculator we recommend is PG Calc. You may also wish to consider VirtualGiving's consumer-based calculators that help prospects better understand their own personal financial planning - thus making clear how a gift will fit into that planning, as well as encouraging them to revisit your website for their personal use. We feel they are a great value-added item.