The Fiscal Year is Changing- Are You Prepared?
Be prepared for 2013 and beyond with these easy tips
- Retirement plans, IRAs, 401(k)s
Your Will or Trust does not control where these accounts will end up ? instead you will assign a beneficiary or multiple beneficiaries to receive these accounts upon death. Retirement plan accounts that were never taxed in your lifetime will be taxed when distributed to your heirs. Contact our Planned Giving office for a tip on how those "in the know" get more money to their heirs. - Joint tenancy ownership
Property that you own in joint tenancy with others does not pass through your estate. Instead your ownership rights pass along to the surviving joint tenants. Real estate and bank accounts often use joint tenancy with rights of survivorship to avoid the costs and delays of probate administration. - Transfer on death
Many financial accounts can be set up as "Pay on Death" or "Transfer on Death" accounts and work much like joint tenancy ownership. Talk to your banker about this option. - Life Insurance
Many of us have life insurance policies that pay a death benefit upon our passing. Life insurance policies have beneficiary designations instructing the insurance company who to pay at death. These proceeds do not pass through your Will or Trust, but instead are paid directly to beneficiaries by the life insurer.
We hope you would consider naming The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society as a partial or contingent beneficiary of a retirement plan or life insurance policy. Please contact Ed Rodbro, National Director of Planned Giving at 888-773-9958 or ed.rodbro@lls.org for assistance completing beneficiary forms or for any other questions related to non-cash gifts including stocks and real estate.
