Category: Estate Planning

Estate Planning
Patrick O'Donnell

If You Don’t Write Your Will …

Don’t write your will and when you die, you’ll be declared “intestate” … a fancy word that essentially means, “they didn’t think a will was important, so now the government gets to decide what to do with all their stuff.” Read this article to learn why you should write your will today!

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A photo of a glamorous woman surrounded by photographers, to illustrate a plannedgiving.com post about celebrities who died without a will. Dying without a will is also called dying intestate.
Bequests
Viken Mikaelian

Celebrities Who Died Without A Will: A Study in Poor Estate Planning

Why do only rich people have wills? Because they have the luxury to afford it. NOT. I think you’ll be surprised at the number of rich and famous people who died without a will —or didn’t have an updated will—when they left this earth. Each eventually left behind a fortune, but millions (and millions!) of dollars was wasted on lawyers, avoidable taxes, and lawsuits.

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Planned Gift Donor
Bequests
Viken Mikaelian

Does a Planned Gift Donor Need a Lawyer to Draft a Will?

One of the most frequently asked questions in planned giving is whether or not a planned gift donor needs a lawyer to write their will. In this article, we answer the question, and give some important fundraising tips for your non-profit.

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A $500 Million Estate And No Estate Plan
Bequests
Viken Mikaelian

A $500 Million Estate …. And No Estate Plan

Did you hear that former Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh died intestate? Now his family, friends, and business associates are apparently fighting over a bunch of deals and agreements that were scribbled on thousands of sticky notes plastered all over the walls of his Utah mansion. Don’t make the same mistake. Don’t die without an estate plan that keeps your legacy intact!

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Contemporary Women and Wealth
Bequests
Viken Mikaelian

Contemporary Women and Wealth

Which would you choose: buying yourself a pair of Jimmy Choos, or the opportunity to help someone else buy much-needed shoes? In this article, we discuss women and wealth… and in particular, how your non-profit can raise more money from the women, who statistically outlive men and thus control the wealth of most families during prime planned giving years.

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Love, Family and Estate Planning
Bequests
Viken Mikaelian

Love, Family and Estate Planning

My father hated estate planning. The words conjured up technical mumbo-jumbo he preferred not to think about. This was a big mistake, as he left his family with an estate plan. Here’s why estate planning is so important for you, your family, and the causes you care about.

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Your Final Invoice
Bequests
Viken Mikaelian

Your Final Invoice

You know the saying, “The only two things certain in life are death and taxes.” Even after your lifetime, there are many taxes you can avoid. When it comes to taxes and funeral expenses (your final invoice), planning now will go a long way to help your family and friends.

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Planned Giving and the Church
Bequests
Viken Mikaelian

Planned Giving and the Church

The congregation sighs and settles in for what the pastor knows is actually their least favorite Sunday. “Please take a look at the insert in your bulletin,” he continues. “You’ll see that we didn’t meet our budget again this year.” His audience knows where this is going: The church is struggling to accomplish its mission, but the congregation is not pulling its weight in terms of monetary contributions.

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