When you make a bequest through the Jewish Community Foundation, you start something wonderful: a personal or family legacy that will keep on giving to your favorite charities or causes in your name—every year—forever.

Anyone Can Be a Philanthropist

You do not have to be rich to leave a charitable bequest.  For just $5,000, a permanent charitable endowment in your name can be created at the Jewish Community Foundation.  Once you do the math, you may find that your estate is worth far more than you anticipated…large enough to take good care of your loved ones and to create a permanent charitable legacy.

Legacy Planning Can Be a Meaningful, Life-Changing Experience

First, think about your goals.  How do you want to be remembered?  What lasting impact do you want to make on the community? What values do you want to transmit to future generations through your legacy?

Next, choose what you want to support. Consider the organizations and causes you are involved with now. Why have you made gifts and volunteered your time? What have been your most significant gifts and which have provided you with the most satisfaction? Through your legacy, you can ensure that there will be funds available to address the changing needs of the Jewish community over time, or to sustain the organizations and causes you care most about, in perpetuity.

Finally, decide how to structure your legacy.  Your legacy can be structured in ways that can achieve your personal, financial and charitable objectives. It can be a simple bequest in a will or trust. You, your spouse and family members can receive income for life through charitable gift annuities and charitable remainder trusts.  Life insurance policies and retirement plan assets are easy ways to fund a charitable legacy.

Donors ages 70½ and over can distribute any amount up to $100,000 per year from their IRAs to charity free from income tax in 2009.  Certain limitations apply. To learn more, click here.

You Will Be Honored during Your Lifetime

If you make a bequest and let us know in advance, you will automatically become a member of a very special group, the Foundation’s Legacy Society.  Your promise to provide for the Jewish community after your lifetime also makes you eligible to include your personal story in the Voices of Philanthropy–Hartford Jewish Legacies volume. The collection will be prominently displayed at the Jewish Community Foundation, part of an ever-growing record of names and legacies—a true portrait of our community.

To Get Started

Simply contact the Jewish Community Foundation at 860.523.7460 (or giftplanning@jcfhartford.org) or your favorite organization(s) for a confidential meeting. We look forward to working with you to keep our community strong and vibrant for generations to come.