A charitable bequest is one of the easiest and most flexible ways that you can leave a gift to The Foundation of the Jewish Federation and create a lasting impact. You can make a bequest using a simple beneficiary designation form or, with the help of an attorney, you can include language in your will or trust specifying a gift to be made to The Foundation of the Federation as part of your estate plan.

Benefits of a bequest

• Receive an estate tax charitable deduction
• Reduce the burden of taxes on your family
• Leave a lasting legacy to charity
• Create an endowment to provide perpetual support to the Annual Campaign or a specific program

Types of bequests

• Percentage bequest - make a gift of a percentage of your estate
• Specific bequest - make a gift of a specific dollar amount or a specific asset
• Residual bequest - make a gift from the balance or residue of your estate

If you have any questions about leaving a bequest to us, please contact us. We would be happy to assist you with sample language and other matters. 

This is your personal invitation to join our L’Chaim Society. All we ask is that you make a Legacy Gift representing your desire and commitment to tikkun olam, to make the world a better place. It is an easy, cost-effective way, and possibly a tax saving measure, for you to continue your philanthropy for generations to come.

Envision the day when our children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren can enjoy the same or better quality of Jewish life as we embrace today. To secure this vision, we can all leave a Legacy Gift; regardless of age, wealth, or affiliation, we each have the ability to make a difference for the Jewish community of the future.

Join Our L’Chaim Society Today!

Members of our L'Chaim Society have expressed their commitment to The Foundation of the Jewish Federation of Greater Rochester through a very special and important form of financial support:

• A bequest
• A gift from their IRA or other such retirement account
• A charitable income gift
• A gift of life insurance
• An outright gift of cash or stock

Benefits of Being a Member of the L’Chaim Society???

The most important benefit you will receive from joining our L’Chaim Society is the personal satisfaction derived from making a lasting contribution to the long-term success of our Jewish community.

Membership allows us to thank you and recognize you for the plans you have made, and it may inspire others to do the same. We will also offer unique programs for our L’Chaim Society donors, as well as acknowledgement at various programs throughout the year.

For more information about our L’Chaim Society, please contact Eric Brandt, Director of Planned Giving and Endowments at 585.241.8625 or ebrandt@jewishrochester.org.

A Donor Advised Fund (or DAF) might be a great solution for you. You can use a DAF to distribute gifts to numerous charities. With a DAF, you can make charitable gifts during your lifetime, and when you pass away, your children can carry on your legacy of giving.

How a donor advised fund works

• You make an initial, irrevocable gift of marketable securities or cash to fund a DAF at The Foundation of the Jewish Federation and receive an immediate tax deduction
• The assets in your DAF grow tax-free through our investment managers
• You make recommendations on gifts to be made from your DAF to any non-profit organization

You enjoy several benefits with your donor advised fund

• Establish a flexible vehicle for annual charitable giving
• No more writing individual checks to the many non-profits you support, we do those for you
• A record of your gifts is maintained within your DAF
• Through our on-line portal, you can request a grant or view your DAF at any time
• Obtain a charitable income tax deduction in each year of making a gift to your DAF
• If you wish, you can include your children as advisors to your DAF upon your passing, engaging them in the act of Tikkun Olam, making the world better

If you are 70½ or older, you may also be interested in a way to lower taxes from your IRA withdrawals by making a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD). A QCD is a way you can help continue our work for years to come while reducing your taxable income from your IRA. In addition, you will be lowering the estate taxes for your beneficiaries.

Benefits of a QCD

• Avoid taxes on transfers of up to $108,000 from your IRA to our Foundation
• May satisfy your required minimum distribution (RMD) for the year
• Reduce your taxable income, even if you do not itemize deductions
• Make a gift that is not subject to the deduction limits on charitable gifts
• Help further the work and mission of our Federation

Benefits of gifting RMD

• Satisfy your required minimum distribution (RMD) for the year
• Avoid taxes on transfers of up to $108,000 from your IRA to our Foundation
• Reduce your taxable income, even if you do not itemize deductions
• Make a gift that is not subject to the deduction limits on charitable gifts
• Help further the work and mission of our Federation

How to make a gift from your IRA

• Contact your IRA plan administrator to make a gift from your IRA to us
• Your IRA funds will be directly transferred to our organization to help continue our important work
• Please note that IRA charitable rollover gifts, while reducing your income tax and estate taxes, do not qualify for a charitable deduction
• Please contact us if you wish for your gift to be used for a specific purpose

You can assign the Foundation as a partial or complete beneficiary of a life insurance policy (regardless if it is paid in full or not).

Benefits of gifting Life Insurance

• Remove the policy from your estate thereby lowering estate taxes
• Create a permanent endowment at the Foundation in support of the Annual Campaign or other programs

How to make a gift of Life Insurance

• Contact your insurance agent to complete a change of beneficiary form and advise the Federation

For more information about any of these legacy giving programs, please contact Eric Brandt, Director of Planned Giving and Endowments at 585.241.8625 or ebrandt@jewishrochester.org.