Thank you for taking the first step in deciding whether a planned gift to St. Mary’s Early Childhood Center is something you want to explore. You’ve come to the right place—gathering as much information as possible is a critical component in the process of making this decision.

We’ve created this webpage and tutorial to help guide you through this process, answer as many questions as possible, and provide the right opportunity to help you make a decision that will not only benefit St. Mary’s for generations to come, but also create a lasting legacy for yourself and your family within St. Mary’s.

The programs and mission that we carry out at St. Mary’s every day are only possible because of the sincere generosity and belief in our donors. In light of that, there is a multitude of ways and options in which your gift will be able to be used by St. Mary’s to it’s full potential.

There are many factors that play into making a donation to St. Mary’s. Your gift can take multiple forms and benefit the children at St. Mary’s Early Childhood Center in many different ways. This is just a small list of the questions that can get you started:

• Do you want to make a significant contribution during your lifetime or would a gift from your estate benefit your family better?
• Is most of your money in qualified retirement plans or taxable accounts?
• Do you hold highly appreciated stock?
• Is real estate a large portion of your net worth?
• Do you have excess life insurance that is paid up but not necessarily needed for your family’s well-being?

There are many ways you can make a tax deductible contribution including charitable trusts, annuities and life insurance. We have several vehicles available to allow your gift to benefit St. Mary’s Early Childhood Center in your memory. Please consult with your tax advisor if you are considering one of these.

If you are interested in creating an endowment to benefit St. Mary’s Early Childhood Center at the Catholic Community Fund, we have matching funds available. Endowments can be created with a minimum gift of $5,000. Matching funds are available for 50% of the initial gift. For more information on this option or any other option, please contact Shannon Mason at smason@stmarysecc.org.

To donate a gift of stock, please review these instructions:

St. Mary’s Early Childhood Center has recorded webinars to help individuals understand the tax benefits of planned giving. The seminar main topics presented in these webinars include: Key Changes in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, Changes to Itemized Deductions and Ethical pitfalls for Professional Advisors serving on Boards.

The following webinars are available: