50th Reunion
Create Your Legacy as a Member of the Clarkson Family
A 50th reunion is a time to celebrate and give thanks. It is a milestone achievement, and you may wish to recognize Clarkson's role in your life by creating a legacy that will help future generations of students as they join the greater Clarkson family. In this way you connect yourself to the Clarkson family members who came before you and to those who will join the Clarkson family after you.
There are many ways to start or build your legacy at Clarkson:
1. The Clarkson Fund – Just as othermembers of the Clarkson family have done for generations, your special gift to the Clarkson Fund helps students right now. And it’s easy to make a gift online. Your annual gift really does make a difference on campus:, have you thought about creating a bequest to “endow” your annual gift?
2. Income for you and/or loved ones - You may create a charitable gift annuity or charitable remainder trust, or join our pooled life income fund to provide income to you and/or loved ones before the remainder passes to Clarkson to be used as you direct. You can generate a fixed or variable income stream to start now or sometime in the future. Request our workbook Will a Gift-with-income Plan Work for Me? You can use our gift calculator to create your own gift-with-income projection or request a projection from Clarkson.
3. A simple gift - A bequest in your will or living trust may be for a specific amount or asset, a percentage, a remainder or a contingency. It may memorialize you, a family member or the family name. View sample bequest language.
4. "Family planning" - You can create a gift annuity or charitable trust through your estate plan that will provide income to loved ones before a gift ultimately goes to Clarkson to be used as you wish.
5. Create a named legacy – You can create an endowed fund in honor of the family name to support anything from student scholarships to professorships. And you can build your endowment with tax-deductible gifts over time. Another way to build your legacy, and encourage others to give, is to name a room, lab, office or other space on campus.
6. A tax-wise plan – Retirement plan assets are expensive to inherit, since the beneficiary must pay tax on income from the plan. It may be tax-advantageous to further your philanthropic legacy by planning a gift of retirement plan assets to Clarkson and bequeath other assets to heirs.
7. "Insure" your legacy - Naming Clarkson the owner and beneficiary of a life insurance policy can generate an income tax deduction now for roughly the cash value of the policy. It may be an easy, cost-effective way to plan a gift for Clarkson.
8. A special gift — Individuals often make a special gift in honor of their anniversary reunion. Your tax-deductible gift may be unrestricted, or you may wish to restrict it to a project of special interest. There are always projects to be completed: athletic facility upgrades, classroom renovations, laboratory equipment replacements. Your gift, even pledged over several years, can make a big difference for students.
9. A gift of your home — You may create a retained life estate, generate an income tax deduction, and gift your personal residence, farm or vacation home to Clarkson while retaining the right to live there as long as you wish. Someday the proceeds from the sale of the property may be used at Clakrson however you wish.
10. Estate tax planning - In special circumstances, a charitable lead trust may be used to plan a gift to Clarkson and pass an asset to heirs estate tax free. Income from the investment of the asset goes to Clarkson for a certain number of years before the asset passes to your heir(s).
For more ideas on creating a gift plan using non-cash assets request our workbook Gift Planning with Non-cash Assets.
Review Anniversary Reunion Year Gift Counting Guidelines.
Would you like help organizing and defining your philanthropy? Request our Philanthropic Planner.
Is it time to update your will? For help getting organized before meeting with your attorney request our Estate Planning Organizer. And if you would like to document your legal arrangements and final instructions for your survivors request our Personal Affairs Organizer.
Your plan for Clarkson's future may make you a member of the Annie Clarkson Society.
This web page does not provide legal or financial advice, nor is it a comprehensive review of the topic. You should consult your legal and financial advisers and Clarkson University before making or planning your gift.