• The opportunity to memorialize one's personal life values;
• The satisfaction of perpetuating an important cause for future generations;
• The increased financial ability we now have to make generous bequests.

These are the major reasons so many Americans include important charitable causes like the University of Miami in their wills.

The vast majority of charitable gifts and bequests are motivated by the donor's desire to provide financial support for the charitable beneficiary. However, tax rewards can also be important. In certain cases, tax benefits can permit donors to give more to their charitable causes at significantly less after-tax cost to their other beneficiaries.

Every dollar that is given to the University of Miami through a bequest or other testamentary gift is fully deductible for federal estate tax purposes. Indeed, an estate tax deduction allows for a deferred bequest to the University even though the bequest provides immediate benefits for other individual beneficiaries.

There are many exciting and practical techniques for making a generous gift or bequest to the University of Miami. Please let us know if you have any questions. We will welcome the opportunity to talk with you about how a bequest can play a meaningful role in the University's accomplishments and perpetuate your life values. You can reach our Estate and Gift Planning professionals at (305) 284-1527.

Sample Language:

Most bequests to charitable institutions or organizations are for a specific sum of money. The donor's will simply provides:

I bequeath the sum of _____ Dollars to the University of Miami, a charitable organization located in Coral Gables, Florida.

Alternatively, your charitable bequest can be a specified percentage of the value of your estate. This bequest can be as simple as:

I bequeath to the University of Miami, a charitable organization located in Coral Gables, Florida, an amount equal to _____ percent of the net value of my estate as finally determined by federal estate tax purposes