BEQUEST GIFTS: LEAVE A LEGACY

"Lives of great men all remind us
We can make our lives sublime
And departing leave behind us
Footprints in the sands of time."

- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Think of the words "Last Will and Testament". Your will (or living trust) is a final statement of what you have held to be important during your lifetime. Where you direct your lifetime of earnings and savings says a great deal about you – what you have held dear, what has touched you and enriched your life, and what you want to ensure for the next generation. We invite you to find a place in your final arrangements for ASHRAE Foundation alongside your family, friends, and other loved ones.

ASHRAE Foundation supports HVAC professional development and research programs and provides engineering students with much needed scholarship assistance. Gifts to ASHRAE Foundation are endowed. That means that your legacy will support ASHRAE's mission in perpetuity. These endowed funds insure that ASHRAE will continue to have sufficient resources to sustain and expand the Society's important work for years to come.

All estate gifts – large and small – are important and appreciated by ASHRAE Foundation. You don't have to be wealthy to make a difference.

There are many advantages to bequest gifts:

• Easy to Arrange. If you have not yet prepared a will, you should do so for a number of good reasons. It is simple for your attorney to incorporate gift language as a part of the drafting process, using the sample language we provide. If you already have a will, your attorney can draft a simple amendment to your will, called a "codicil," for a minimal charge. A gift can likewise be easily incorporated into a revocable living trust.
• Retain full ownership and use of your assets throughout your life. Perhaps you want to make a gift to support ASHRAE Foundation but are not in a position to draw upon resources you may need in the years ahead. A bequest to ASHRAE Foundation allows you to make a gift while preserving your financial security.
• Flexible. An estate gift is not set in stone and can be changed if your life circumstances change.
• Possibly reduce taxes payable by your estate. The federal estate tax rate is 40 percent, applied to taxable estates of over $5.125 million. A bequest to ASHRAE results in a dollar-for-dollar estate tax charitable deduction.

Several types of bequests are possible:

• General, for a certain dollar amount -- "the sum of $25,000"
• Specific, a particular asset -- "1,000 shares of XYZ stock"
• Residual, once other assets have been distributed -- "fifty percent of the rest, residue, and remainder of my estate"
• Contingent, only under certain conditions -- "in the event my spouse does not survive me"

In addition, your bequest can be used for different purposes:

• Unrestricted, allowing ASHRAE Foundation to use your gift where the need is greatest.
• Designated, enabling you to support a particular program.

Next steps:

• Review the attached suggested bequest language.
• Discuss your situation with your attorney. He or she can help you determine whether to make a bequest through a will, through an amendment ("codicil") to your existing will, or perhaps as a distribution from a living trust.
• Once you have arranged a gift, please let us know. We would be honored to know of your gift. We would very much appreciate the opportunity to thank you and to make sure your wishes are appropriately fulfilled.