Background
With appropriate documentation, almost all planned (deferred) gifts may be credited to Momentum St. Lawrence at full fair-market value on the date that the gift plan is finalized.

Crediting bequests and other revocable estate gifts such as gifts from retirement plans and life insurance policies
Momentum St. Lawrence guidelines allow us to credit revocable gifts with appropriate documentation. Donors age 65 and older may sign a statement of testamentary intent and provide documentation of the gift plan. Donors younger than age 65 may sign an irrevocable pledge agreement along with documentation of the gift plan. These gifts are credited at full fair-market value and may include, but are not limited to:

• A bequest in a will or living trust
• Naming St. Lawrence beneficiary of a retirement plan
• Naming St. Lawrence beneficiary of a life insurance policy
• Naming St. Lawrence owner/beneficiary of a life insurance policy with premium payments remaining

Crediting gift-with-income plans
Gift-with-income plans generate income payments back to the donor and/or other beneficiaries for a period of time, and then St. Lawrence uses the remainder in the plan. Income may start immediately or may be structured to start at some point in the future. Gift-with-income plans include charitable gift annuities, charitable remainder trusts and the St. Lawrence Pooled Life Income Fund.

• Gifts to immediate and deferred charitable gift annuities, St. Lawrence trusts and the St. Lawrence Pooled Life Income Fund will be credited at full fair-market value as of the date the gift is made to the plan.
• Documented gifts to charitable remainder trusts not managed by St. Lawrence but where St. Lawrence is an irrevocable remainderman will be credited at full fair-market value or appropriate partial value (where St. Lawrence is a partial remainderman) as of the date the gift is made to the plan.

Crediting irrevocable gifts of life insurance
An irrevocable gift of life insurance names St. Lawrence owner and beneficiary of some type of paid-up, whole life policy. This gift is counted at the face value of the policy.

Crediting retained life estates
A donor may gift the remainder value of his/her personal residence or farm and retain the right to live in and maintain the property for the rest of his/her life. This retained life estate is credited at the appraised value of the property at the time the contract is signed.

Additional information
A donor may have an existing plan (e.g., a bequest) that is unknown to the University. Informing the University of the plan makes it “new” to the University and so the value, with appropriate documentation, may receive credit in Momentum St. Lawrence. As with other gifts, planned gifts may be unrestricted or the donor may restrict his/her gift to any campaign priority. Donors may also make a pledge to create a planned gift at some point during the campaign.

Planned gifts credited in previous comprehensive fundraising campaigns (e.g., Campaign St. Lawrence) will not receive credit in Momentum St. Lawrence.

Certain planned gifts, however, may receive credit for other fundraising purposes, including anniversary reunion year fundraising.

In keeping with national campaign crediting guidelines, all deferred gifts credited to Momentum St. Lawrence will also be recorded at their “present value,” an estimate of the value of the gift when it may some day be received for use by the University.

For help and information on creating and crediting your planned gift, contact:

Anne M. Sibley '85
Director of Planned Giving
315-229-5506
asibley@stlawu.edu

This web page does not provide legal or financial advice, nor is it intended as a comprehensive review of the topic. You should consult your attorney, tax advisor and St. Lawrence before making or planning your gift.