Think of the words, “Last Will and Testament".

Your will (or living trust) is a final statement of what has been most important to you during your lifetime. Making a gift through your will says a great deal about the people and ministries that touched and enriched your life.

We invite you to find a place in your final arrangements for Saint Joseph Abbey alongside family and other loved ones.  

There are many advantages to making

a gift through your will or estate plan:

  • Easy to arrange. It is simple for your attorney to incorporate a charitable gift when drafting your will, using the sample bequest language  we provide. If you already have a will, your attorney can draft an amendment to your will for a minimal charge. A gift can likewise be easily incorporated into a revocable living trust.
  • Retain full ownership throughout your life. Perhaps you want to make a gift to support Saint Joseph Abbey, but are not comfortable donating assets you may still need in retirement. Naming SJASC in your will allows you to state your intentions and make the gift at that point where will no longer need it.
  • Flexible. A gift is not set in stone and can be changed if your life circumstances change.
  • Possibly reduce taxes payable by your estate. If your estate is large enough to have estate tax due, a gift in your will or estate plan will result in substantial tax savings.

Example:  The federal estate tax rate is 40 percent, applied to taxable estates of over $5.34 million ($10.68 million for a married couple).  If your estate is large enough to be subject to tax, a $100,000 bequest to Saint Joseph Abbey will result in federal estate tax savings of $40,000. This means the net cost of making the gift is only $60,000. 

For more information, contact:

Scott Wallace, Director of Institutional Advancement
(985) 867-2235 • swallace@sjasc.edu

Because everyone’s situation is different, we encourage you to seek professional legal, estate planning, and financial advice before deciding on a course of action. This information does not constitute legal or financial advice and should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional advice.