The most traditional form of a deferred gift is including charity in a person's will or revocable (living) trust.
Factors to consider when giving to charity through your will:
What, when and how much do you want to give?
1. Gift of specific dollar amount
Example: I give and bequeath $100,000 to Communities Foundation of Texas.
2. Gift of specific personal or real property
Example: I give and bequeath our primary residence in Dallas, Texas, and the art collection within the primary residence to Communities Foundation of Texas.
3. Residuary gift
A donor may give the remainder of his/her estate in whole or in part.
Example: I give and bequeath 50% of the residual of my estate to Communities Foundation of Texas.
4. Contingent gift
A donor may want to give a gift only if certain conditions are met.
Example: I give and bequeath {my ranch property} to my spouse, if he or she survives me. If my spouse does not survive me, I give and bequeath {my ranch property} to Communities Foundation of Texas.
How do I want those funds to be used philanthropically?
1. Unrestricted gift
The gift is made to CFT to use for general purposes.
2. Field of Interest gift
Choose a philanthropic area you are passionate about.
3. Gift to an existing fund
Donors may leave gifts to funds that they established before their deaths, either donor-advised, scholarship or designated funds.
4. Use gift to create a fund
Donors may give through their will to create a new fund to be administered by their children or by CFT’s philanthropy committee. The new fund may be a donor-advised, scholarship or designated fund, and it may be endowed or unendowed. The fund may be established while you are living and be named in the will or trust. The fund may also honor someone or serve as a memorial tribute.