#1 MISUNDERSTANDING:
The Gift Planning Program is
designed to take money away from your loved ones, and reduce your children’s
or grandchildren’s
inheritance.
FACT:
The Gift Planning Program is NOT designed
to take money away
from your loved ones, or reduce your children’s or grandchildren’s
inheritance.
The Gift Planning Program is designed to help members and their
families achieve their own personal financial, estate, and
gift planning goals. “Gift Planning” includes “gifts” to
family members as well as gifts to ministry, mission or other community charities – but
only if and as you choose.
Experienced financial and estate planners have found that well
planned financial and estate planning actually
increases the value of most people’s estates and thereby allows them to leave greater
inheritances to their children and grandchildren, and at the same time
allows them to leave financial gifts to their church and/or other favorite
charities.
Gift Planning let’s you be the decision
maker and most often allows
you to save significant taxes. The choice really becomes to either do the
planning and decide where you want your money to go and who you want to
take care of, OR don’t do any planning and let the federal government
decide what to do with your money.
The program is completely confidential and the services are
provided on a private, individual basis. If you have a lawyer
or financial planner that you work with, our gift planner will
also work with them. If you don’t yet have other professional advisors, our
gift planner can assist you if you need recommendations.
#2 MISUNDERSTANDING:
The Gift Planning Program is designed
for people with a lot of money.
FACT: The Gift Planning Program is NOT designed only for people
with a lot of money.
The Gift Planning Program and service is for all members. You
don’t need a lot of money to participate in the program or take advantage
of the services. You don’t need a lot of money to benefit from financial,
gift, and estate planning.
In fact, experienced financial planners and estate planners
have found that good planning is just as important for those who have limited
resources as for those who have significant resources.
Independent financial planning, gift planning, estate planning,
and legal services can be very costly. Gift Planning Services is offered
as a free service to every member of the congregations and
ministries that we are contracted with. These services can provide you
with a wealth of information, advice and significant
savings in reducing the amount of time
you may spend with other paid service providers and professionals.
#3 MISUNDERSTANDING:
The Gift Planning Program is
designed as a “one-on-one” stewardship
campaign for the Church.
FACT: The Gift Planning Program is NOT designed as a “one-on-one” stewardship
campaign for the Church. It is not a disguise for a stewardship campaign.
There is absolutely NO pressure to gift or plan to
gift to the Church, its ministries or any other specific charity. Scripture teaches
us that all giving that honors God must be done with a joyful heart. (2
Cor. 9:7)
At the General Informational meetings, no one will
ask you how much money you make or how much money you have. No one will ask you
if you pledge or don’t. No one will ask you to give more money to
the Church. No one will pressure you to make a gift to the Church.
Individual Gift Planning occurs in private,
confidential meetings with the Gift Planner. All financial information and plans are kept private
and confidential. They will listen to what is important to you and will
help you to try to achieve your goals. The Gift Planner only provides you
with information and options; you make the decisions. They will not pressure
you to give to the Church or any other charity as part of your gift plan.
As a person of faith, however, stewardship may be an important
part of your financial, gift and estate planning. Our Gift Planning Program
is a Christian planning service and, as such, embraces a Christian perspective
and understanding of stewardship and supports the need of Christians to
be good stewards of the gifts God has given us. Our Gift Planner will share
information with you on ways that you can consider supporting the mission
of the Church and the Foundation in your future plans.
#4 MISUNDERSTANDING:
The Gift Planning Program
is designed only for those who don’t have a Will or an Estate
Plan; I don’t
participate because I’m “all set” with my plans.
FACT: The Gift Planning Program is NOT designed only for those
who don’t have a Will or an Estate Plan.
The Gift Planning Program is designed to provide service and
value to every member. Our free informational sessions provide an
easy and valuable way to stay current with new ideas and laws that may affect
you and your family.
Experienced financial planners and estate planners encourage
everyone to stay abreast of new tax laws, tax incentives and other tips,
ideas and programs. They also encourage every adult
person to make sure they have a Will and an Estate Plan in place. They also advise that those
documents and plans be reviewed each year to make sure the documents stay
current in addressing and reflecting the individual’s family and
financial situation and their wishes. They also encourage every adult to
have an Advanced Directive to help guide and assist their families in making
critical health care decisions.