Using a Beneficiary Designation to Make a Gift to Charity

Guyna G. Johnson

My parents had the family heavily involved in philanthropy, where the groups that ultimately resonated with me involved education and financial literacy to empower women, children and people of color. "Giving without expectations" refined my personal responsibility to help others and deepened my comprehension of the importance of generosity. Believing we are all ultimately connected, has served to underpin my moral obligations towards effecting positive change in the lives of others. The privilege to assist, encourage, and uplift others is an extremely small payment forward for the immense benefit I have received from numerous communities of support. Personally, the full academic scholarship I received based on donations to the JSU Foundation, are the shoulders on which I stand. The dormitories, the dominating SWAC presence, the Sonic Boom, the visiting professors - all inextricably tied to donors who were compelled to invest in anonymous students' educational goals. Future Jacksonians are relying on us to take advantage of the myriad ways to create a lasting legacy for generations to come. Future Jacksonians are relying on today's generosity to provide them with a solid foundation on which to soar. Hopefully, my generosity to JSU and the JSU Foundation is nothing short of contagious.

Is a beneficiary designation gift right for you?

If you own a qualified retirement plan, such as an IRA, 401(k) or 403(b) and would like to make a charitable gift, your family or your estate might benefit if you update your beneficiary designation form naming our organization as a beneficiary. Beneficiary designation gifts may help your heirs avoid paying income tax on certain inherited assets and may help your estate avoid estate taxes.

If you have questions about making a beneficiary designation gift, please contact us. We would be happy to work with you and answer any questions that you have.

*Please note: The name and image above is representative of a typical donor and may or may not be an actual donor to our organization. Since the benefits of each gift may be different, you should seek the advice of your legal, tax or financial advisor.