A Gift That Costs Nothing Now
By Nora Dabrowski and Margie O’Neill
Fr. Ryan Duns, SJ, at a video shoot for the Midwest Jesuits’ vocations team
Nora Dabrowski is the regional advancement director for the Midwest Jesuits in Michigan and northern Ohio. She is a graduate of Loyola University Chicago and has worked with the Jesuits for more than 26 years.
Margie O’Neill serves as director of planned giving and recurring gifts for the Midwest Jesuits. She has worked for the Jesuits for six years.
Our companions have faith that the men who enter the Society of Jesus will live the Jesuit mission going forward, and they care about those Jesuits who have lived the mission and are now praying for them in our senior Jesuit communities.
Each Midwest Jesuit donor is unique, and contributions come in all shapes and sizes. All gifts are received with a deep, abiding appreciation for the donor’s sacrifice and generosity. Without this generosity, the work of the Jesuits would not be possible.
Some donors lament that their financial position limits their ability to make a significant gift during their lifetime, and we understand that no one can fully predict their future needs.
By choosing to make a gift to the Jesuits in their will as a residuary beneficiary, many of our companions are able to achieve their coexisting goals of fulfilling their needs during their lifetime while continuing to support the Jesuits. Gifts in one’s will cost nothing now, as donors continue to use the assets during their lifetime. When the time comes, those named as recipients of specific or pecuniary (cash) gifts are paid first, and then residuary beneficiaries are paid the remainder.
Another type of deferred gift to consider is designating the Jesuits as a beneficiary of one’s retirement/investment account or life insurance policy, which can offer significant tax benefits to your estate.
Even a small percentage of an estate can support a man in formation who will be the next founder of a ministry, great teacher, gifted pastor, or Church leader. Additionally, Additionally, adding the Jesuits to your estate plan can help support the senior Jesuits who have served so many and now need to be cared for themselves.
We invite you to consider how you can make an impact on the future good works of the Midwest Jesuits by planning for tomorrow with a gift in your will or a gift as a beneficiary of your retirement or investment account. We assure you that your gift will be stewarded wisely.
To learn more, please reach out to one of the Midwest Jesuits’ gift officers.
