Bequests and Wills

Make a Gift Through Your Will or Living Trust

One of the easiest ways to make a planned gift is to make Erie Arts & Culture a beneficiary of your will or living trust. Many donors prefer the simplicity of making a gift through a bequest in their will or trust while maintaining control over their assets during their lifetime.

Making Erie Arts & Culture a beneficiary of your will or revocable trust is as simple as including a bequest provision in your will or trust agreement. Such a bequest enables you to specify the amount you wish to give to the agency, and the assets you choose to use for your gift. You can choose to give a specific dollar amount, a percentage, fraction or remainder of the estate, or specific assets, such as cash, real estate, personal property or securities, to Erie Arts & Culture. You can even choose to make a contingent gift, making the agency a beneficiary in the event other beneficiaries are unable to accept a gift or predecease you. There is no minimum gift amount required. Every gift makes a difference, no matter the amount.

There are many benefits to using a bequest to support Erie Arts & Culture. Making a gift from your will or trust costs you nothing today, as you maintain control of your gift throughout your life, adjusting the amount or type of gift given in accordance with your personal circumstances. A bequest also gives you great flexibility to choose exactly what amount or assets to give to the agency, and you can change your designation at any time. Your gift to Erie Arts & Culture will not be subject to any potential federal estate tax.

As with all planned gifts, you should seek the advice of your legal or financial advisor prior to making the gift.

Sample Gift Language

Unrestricted Gift: “I give to Erie Arts & Culture, located in Erie, Pennsylvania, all (or name a sum or a percentage) of my estate to be used by the agency for its general purposes.”

Restricted Gift: “I give to Erie Arts & Culture, located in Erie Pennsylvania, all (or name a sum or a percentage) of my estate to be used by the agency for the purpose(s) of ____________, or if such use, in the judgment of the agency is or shall become impracticable or unwise, then for such purpose as the agency shall determine.”

Contingent Bequest: “In the event the above named beneficiary(ies) shall predecease me, then I give to Erie Arts & Culture, located in Erie, Pennsylvania Pennsylvania, all (or name a sum or a percentage) of my estate to be used by the agency for purpose(s) of ____________, or if such use, in the judgment of the agency is or shall become impracticable or unwise, then for such purpose as the agency shall determine.”

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