A Bequest to Help Future Students
A 1995 alumna of DeSales University, Heather was inspired to donate to her alma mater because she remembers how the generous support of donors helped her achieve her college dreams.
Heather: I donate to DeSales because I had the opportunity to experience first-hand the excellence of a Catholic liberal arts education. I received financial aid to attend DeSales back in the early 90s. Donating to DeSales now offers me an opportunity to help another student just as someone helped me.
While annual gifts are important for student financial aid and scholarships, when Heather and her husband created their wills, she realized that a planned gift, specifically a bequest, would allow them to give much more.
Heather: I have been donating to DeSales since I graduated in 1995. When my daughter was born in 1999, my husband and I created our wills. At that time, I decided to leave gifts to a few organizations that made an impact on me or those that I love. Both my mother and I graduated from DeSales. In addition, by leaving a bequest, I arranged for DeSales to receive a donation from my estate after I pass away that will be much larger than any gift I could have made during my lifetime.
Including a bequest in my will was simple. I instructed my attorney to include a bequest to DeSales for a specific percentage of my estate. On one of my donation payment forms I checked the box that asked if I remembered DeSales in my will. A few weeks later, a development officer called me, thanked me for my bequest, and made an appointment to see me. Since making my bequest, I have been invited to special events and kept updated on DeSales programs.
You also may want to make it easy and convenient to have a bequest included in your will. The language below shows how a bequest can very easily be included in your will.
You might find it helpful to select the "print" button below and print this page. Please feel free to give this information to your attorney. If he or she has any questions, please have him or her contact us at 610-282-1100 or email us at [email protected] .
Example bequest language - Please feel free to change the numbers or percentages as you desire.
1. Bequest of cash
"I bequeath the sum of $10,000 to DeSales University of Center Valley, PA."
2. Bequest of a percent of the estate
"I devise and bequeath 20% of the remainder and residue of property owned at my death, whether real or personal, and wherever located to DeSales University, Center Valley, PA."
3. Contingent Bequest
"If my brother John Doe survives me, I devise and bequeath 20% of the remainder and residue of property owned at my death, whether real or personal, and wherever located to John Doe. If John Doe does not survive me, then I devise and bequeath 20% of my residuary estate, whether real or personal property and wherever located to DeSales University, Center Valley, PA."