With family and friends gathered for spring break and upcoming graduation ceremonies, it’s a perfect time to have conversations about the causes that align with your common values and beliefs — as well as theirs. Talk with your loved ones, including the next generation, about helping create positive progress through giving, volunteering and community engagement.
Nonprofits face challenges and opportunities in an increasingly volatile economic environment. While navigating growing uncertainty, organizations will be strengthening relationships with donors and funders and looking to their supportive constituents for guidance around ways to communicate their mission and impact more effectively. It’s an especially meaningful time to engage with your favorite family charities. If you feel that establishing a donor-advised fund would be particularly beneficial this year as a way for your family to expand your philanthropic giving, early family discussion can help ensure that your account aligns with your common goals this year and in the future.
Planning for the future
Retirement planning is an essential aspect of family preparation for the future. Expressing your wishes with a thoughtful estate plan can provide guideposts for your family regarding your assets, healthcare decisions and finances.
For many Americans, a last will and testament is the cornerstone of this plan. This important document gives you control over how your property is eventually distributed so you can support the people and causes that matter most to you. Many financial and legal advisors know that discussing philanthropy with their clients requires understanding a family’s most important values and goals. Your trusted advisors can explain the possible benefits of making charitable giving part of your estate plan.
NorthShore Hospitals Foundation philanthropy directors often partner with donor advisors to create optimal gifts resulting in long-lasting, transformational impacts for Endeavor Health patients. You can also gather information by visiting the NorthShore Hospitals Foundation planned giving website to learn about creative and purposeful giving ideas that reflect your true wishes.
If you haven’t gotten around to creating an estate plan, you can begin by accessing the free online will-creation tool — Giving Docs — accessible on the NorthShore Hospitals Foundation website.
It’s a secure, easy-to-use platform that makes it convenient to manage your estate plan online. You can establish a medical directive as well as create a will. Also, the platform can help you begin to put your affairs in order. You can choose to accelerate a traditional estate planning process with your family attorney by sharing Giving Docs forms you create in advance.
To explore ways of giving to the NorthShore Hospitals Foundation and identifying clinical priorities that align with your family’s charitable purposes while creating your estate plan, please contact Kathleen Chappell, JD, MBA, Director of Planned Giving. She’ll be happy to discuss your interest and answer questions you’ll have as you get started with your planning.
Kate can be reached at (224) 364-7603 or kchappell@northshore.org.
