Why do people like making planned gifts?
Planned gifts (most commonly a donation made in your will or trust) cost nothing today and allow you to make an incredible impact, which is why so many people choose to make them.
There are some other exciting but less common gifts — scroll down to learn more!
Popular gifts for the future
See what types of gifts many people choose to make. Many people make these to honor a loved one, to show what’s important in their life.
Gifts in a will or trust
Donations in your will or trust are (by far) the most popular type of planned gift. Learn more, or get help starting your will or trust – for free!
Beneficiary designations
Gifting assets not covered by your will — like 401(k) or IRA accounts — may help your heirs avoid unwanted taxes, even if you’re below the estate tax threshold.
Popular gifts for today
Many people love these donation options because they fit with their personal circumstances and financial goals.
Gifts that pay you back
Give assets while providing yourself or others with income for a period of time or distributions at a later date.
Stocks and securities
Many people love donating stock or mutual funds because it may help them avoid paying capital gains taxes.
Donor Advised Funds
Easily recommend grants to your favorite ministry for tax efficient giving.
Cryptocurrency
Donate Bitcoin, Ethereum, and more to save on taxes and make a big impact.
Qualified Charitable Distributions
Use your IRA to make tax-free gifts that benefit you and the mission of our partner organizations.
Please let us know if you’ve already included your congregation or favorite ministries in your estate plans!
Letting us know is incredibly helpful to our team and allows us to thank you and recognize you in the Willing Witness legacy society.
Planned Giving helps fuel the mission of ELCA ministries in Nebraska and beyond
A gift in your will creates a foundation for the future. Our partner’s work today is important, but it is equally, if not more important, to ensure they can continue well into the future.
Working with you and Lutheran Giving was very beneficial in two ways: 1) helping us fine tune our charitable giving from our estate, and 2) determining how to distribute pre-tax and post-tax estate assets to charities and our heirs in the most efficient manner.
Mark & Karen
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Gifts of any size are deeply appreciated. Many people choose to leave a percentage of their estate, which scales up or down with your estate size.
Yes! Knowing in advance about your intentions is quite helpful to our partner ministries, but you are always welcome to not share the details of your gift.
One of the benefits of working with Lutheran Giving is you can make your gift known to us, but anonymous to our partner ministries or your congregation. We offer various levels of anonymity based on what you are comfortable sharing.
As long as you have a heart for one of our ministry partners or your congregation, using Lutheran Giving to create your gift plan is at no cost to you. Additionally, we’ve partnered with FreeWill to provide these complimentary resources. You can use these tools to complete your plans, or you may choose to use the same tools to get your affairs in order before visiting an attorney (who is likely to have a fee associated with finalizing your plans).
Yes. You are always free to revise or update your estate plans.
You may need to establish a Special Needs Trust with an attorney to protect your loved one. FreeWill is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. The materials and services are not substitutes for the advice of an attorney.
Yes! FreeWill will never share your personal information without your permission.
We’re here to help you meet your goals!
Our team would be happy to speak with you in confidence about your giving goals, with no obligation.
Name: Sarah Callahan
Title :Executive Director
Phone: 402-342-5728
Email: info@lutherangiving.org
As Executive Director, Sarah provides charitable gift planning services to anyone wishing to support Nebraska Synod congregations and its agencies and institutions as well as any Synodical or Churchwide ministry. Sarah provides legacy presentations across Nebraska and consultation services to congregations wishing to form or build up an endowment fund. She also serves as the local representative of the ELCA Foundation’s Ministry Growth Fund.
Before joining Lutheran Giving in 2018, Sarah built a financial advising practice where she worked with families in Nebraska and Iowa with generational transition and estate planning. In her early career, she worked in fundraising and development. She holds a bachelor of arts in music and a master’s in business administration from Valparaiso University in Valparaiso, Indiana. Sarah earned the Accredited Estate Planner (AEP®) and Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy® (CAP®) professional designations from The American College of Financial Services.
Already included your favorite ministry in your estate plan? Let us know