Nonprofits Turn to Planned Giving in Uncertain Times

VALLEY FORGE, Pa., March 9, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The last two years have been a roller-coaster ride for nonprofits. COVID-19 has been a social, economic, and health-related disaster, and its impact on communities the world over was swift and devastating.

And even though charitable giving rose in response to the pandemic, nonprofit organizations of all shapes and sizes have been stretched to the limit. Increased demand for services coupled with staffing and materials shortages have become the new normal. Annual giving campaigns have been impaired by ever-changing guidelines and restrictions on public gatherings. Many charities have been forced to shut their doors, and studies show at least 1 in 3 are at risk of closure in the next two years.

But as Viken Mikaelian, CEO of PlannedGiving.Com points out, "Planned gifts have been a veritable lifeboat during the uncertainty of the pandemic. Savvy organizations are using planned giving to chart a course toward growth and sustainability, while others scramble to make ends meet because they're relying only on annual giving."

Planned giving — also called legacy giving — enables philanthropic individuals to make larger gifts to charitable organizations than they normally could make from ordinary income. A planned gift is any major gift, made in lifetime or at death as part of a donor's overall financial and/or estate planning.

Types of planned gifts donors can give include:

• cash
• appreciated securities/stock
• equity
• real estate
• mineral rights
• artwork or other collectibles
• partnership interests
• personal property
• life insurance
• a retirement plan
• cryptocurrency

And many planned gifts offer significant benefits to the donor — from substantial tax savings to a lifetime income stream.

"Planned giving is hot right now," Mikaelian says. "We're in the middle of the Great Wealth Transfer; retirement plans are bursting; and many Americans who are retired or close to retirement are considering their legacy."

To meet the added demand, PlannedGiving.Com has been ramping up services. Just this year, the marketing company added a free online will planner called LegacyPlanner™, which nonprofits can have embedded into their planned giving websites.

"Over 60% of Americans do NOT have a will," says Viken Mikaelian, CEO. "LegacyPlanner™ serves both as a reminder and an opportunity for donors to get their estate in order. It also gives them an opportunity to invest in their legacy by making the nonprofit part of their estate plans."

PlannedGiving.Com's other services include planned giving websites, direct mail, brochures, estate planning toolkits, explainer videos, donor albums, story writing, accredited courses, webinars, and more.

"We focus on making planned giving simple — not complicated," Mikaelian says. "What sets our services apart is that we believe planned giving is a people business, not a legal business. We tell our nonprofit clients, 'If you love people, you will raise more money than you ever imagined.'"

PlannedGiving.Com has been helping nonprofits meet their planned giving marketing needs since 1998. To learn more about their services and set up your own planned giving program, visit PlannedGiving.Com.

CONTACT
William G.P. Schelle
Chief Strategic Officer
[email protected]
800-490-7090

PlannedGiving.com
1288 Valley Forge Road
Unit 82
Valley Forge, PA 19460

SOURCE PlannedGiving.com