Gifts through your estate

A bequest in your will or living trust is one of the easiest ways to make a legacy gift. It gives you the opportunity to make a meaningful gift to provide for the future, yet you retain control and use of your assets during your lifetime. A bequest is also flexible, and you may modify your plans if your circumstances or family needs change. Gifts from your estate may also be exempt from federal estate taxes.

Bequest gifts can take many forms – a specific bequest, percentage bequest, residual bequest (percentage or specific), and contingent bequest. See resources below for sample bequest language and additional information.

• Bequest resources for Professional Advisors (legal name, Tax ID, etc.)
• Sample bequest language

If you have already left Spectrum Health Foundation, or Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital Foundation, in your will, or if you plan to do so, please let us know.

Making a gift through a beneficiary designation may provide you with increased flexibility compared to making a gift in your will or living trust. Some examples include:

• Retirement plans (IRA, 401(k), 403(b), etc.)
• Life insurance policies
• Donor advised funds
• Bank and brokerage accounts
• Mutual funds
• Savings bonds

Naming the Foundation as a beneficiary is an easy process:

• Contact the administrator of your retirement plan, life insurance policy, donor advised fund, etc. and request a change-of-beneficiary form, or simply download a form from your provider’s website.
• Determine the percentage/amount that you would like us to receive and name the Foundation, along with that percentage/amount, on the beneficiary form.
• Return the completed form to your administrator, insurance company, bank, financial institution, etc.
• If willing, please let us know so that we can personally thank you and recognize your generous gift.

If you would like to learn more about how to include Spectrum Health or Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital in your charitable estate planning, or if you intend to/have already remembered the hospital in your plans, we would love to hear from you.

Kristin Long MPA, CFRE, CAP®
Kristin.Long@corewellhealth.org
616.486.6590

We are here to help and share the many ways you can make a difference through your philanthropy, now and in the future.