Checklist for NCCF legacy givers
Charitable plans can outlive their paperwork.
Over time, family structures change, attorneys and financial advisors retire, organizations merge or shift direction, or donors’ own priorities evolve. Even when your charitable intentions remain strong, the documents that express them can become outdated. This can create confusion and stress later, especially for loved ones or advisors tasked with carrying out your wishes following your death.
A simple way to avoid this is to treat charitable planning the way you treat other important parts of your financial life: review it periodically. Your NCCF Donor Engagement Officer (DEO) is here to support you in these conversations and can offer a tailored approach to fit your preferences and goals.
Consider revisiting this checklist annually:
- Confirm with your DEO that successor advisor designations for your fund are current and that the people you named still understand and are willing to carry out your wishes.
- Confirm with your DEO that there is updated contact information for your successor advisors on file.
- Confirm that your attorney has included the correct fund name and language in your will or trust.
- Confirm that NCCF is correctly named as beneficiary of a retirement account or life insurance policy, if that is part of your legacy giving plan. Make sure that your tax and financial advisors have copies.
Working with your DEO during this process can also help you think strategically about your giving.
- Are there causes you want to prioritize? How do you want to balance long-term impact and immediate need?
- Is there an opportunity to involve your children or grandchildren in decision making? Your DEO can help you explore family philanthropy.
- Rather than approaching each gift as a separate decision, how do your gifts fit together over time?
- What documentation would help NCCF ensure that your charitable goals and intentions are followed in the future? Develop a personal giving plan to maintain in NCCF’s permanent file that explains why you care about certain causes and what you hope their giving will accomplish over time.
- Are you interested in supporting the work of NCCF or one of our affiliate foundations?
Your NCCF Donor Engagement Officer would be delighted to meet with you for these check-ins. A brief conversation once a year can give you peace of mind and strengthen the long-term impact of your giving.
Philanthropy is personal, and there is no single right way to give. But having a trusted partner can make the process feel more manageable, and more meaningful. At NCCF we are honored to work alongside you, helping ensure that your long-term generosity is guided by both your values and a clear understanding of how to make the greatest impact
This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not intended as legal, accounting, or financial planning advice.
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