Planned Giving

If you believe in the work of Queens College and you want to ensure it will continue to serve generations to come, you may wish to consider a planned gift. Planned giving helps you maximize the tax benefits of your charitable giving while allowing you to provide a gift that you may not have thought possible. Regardless of your age or income, you can benefit from estate planning, and a planned gift can be an important tool in your overall financial strategy. There are many creative ways to provide a contribution to Queens College while enhancing and safeguarding your own financial situation.

I am writing a will or living trust

"One of the simplest ways to provide a gift to Queens College is through a bequest. You may also designate the college to receive a specified percentage of your estate assets. When including the college in your will or trust, we recommend that you consider the following language:

"I give, devise, and bequeath to Queens College Foundation, a private, not-for-profit, 501(c)3, tax-exempt organization, having as its principal address Queens College Foundation, 65-30 Kissena Boulevard, Flushing, New York, 11367-1597 (percentage or specific dollar amount) for the college"s general charitable purposes.”

I have excess life insurance

By leaving an insurance policy to Queens College, the proceeds will not be subject to estate taxes upon your death. Also, if you transfer ownership of the policy to Queens during your lifetime, you may qualify for an income tax charitable deduction and you may deduct the cost of future premium payments.

Queens College can be named as a beneficiary or owner of a life insurance policy. If the policy is not fully paid, your future premium contributions to Queens College would be tax deductible.

I have highly-funded retirement plans

Since retirement plan assets may be subject to both income and estate taxes if left to heirs, estate planners often recommend that you designate all or a portion of the assets to a charitable organization like the Queens College Foundation (QCF). By leaving such assets to QCF, you can pass other assets to your heirs which may lower the tax burden.

Speak to your retirement plan administrator and request a "change of beneficiary" form. On this form you can name the QCF as sole or partial beneficiary, or you can name the College as a contingent beneficiary in case you are predeceased by your immediate beneficiary.

Questions?  Contact:

Laurie Dorf

Assistant Vice President for Institutional Advancement

718-997-3920