Many people are able to be far more generous through a gift left to Ronald McDonald House Charities of Nashville in their will or trust than they can be during their lifetime.
Your planned gift can support a particular program or service that Ronald McDonald House Charities of Nashville provides; to honor a loved one or can be designated to one of our endowment funds.
You have flexibility. Your gift can be part of other desires you wish to accomplish; it can come to us after all beneficiaries’ needs are met. Your gift can be updated, if needed.
Every gift has a profound impact. All gifts have an impact on the families being served through the programs of Ronald McDonald House Charities of Nashville. These families are grateful for the ongoing financial and emotional support they receive while their children undergo life-saving treatments.
At Ronald McDonald House Charities of Nashville (RMHC), we provide essential resources and support to children and their families by keeping them together when they need it most. Your gifts allow us to bring hope and help to children who are sick through our programs, the 36-bedroom Ronald McDonald House and the Ronald McDonald Family Room.
Many of our supporters choose to support our future through planned gifts. Unlike cash donations, planned gifts are typically made from assets in your estate rather than from disposable income, and may come to fruition after your lifetime. Even people of modest means can make a difference in the lives of children by planning a gift.
Whether you would like to put your donation to work today or benefit us after your lifetime, we can help you find a charitable plan that meets your goals. With your help, we can continue to make children healthier and happier by giving families a “home-away-from-home.”
Your professional advisor will explore making gifts to RMHC that create tax benefits. Laws change and RMHC shall not be held responsible for planned gift decisions based solely on the information provided on this website. There is an established gift acceptance policy that dictates all of RMHC’s decisions to accept. Gifts are approved as inquiries are received based on specifics. The only Pre-Approved Gifts are cash. Please contact Elizabeth Piercy at (615) 343-4000 with any questions.
Sample language for a Bequest, Will or Living Trust: “I give, devise and bequeath to Ronald McDonald House Charities of Nashville, Tennessee, Inc., Tax (EIN) #62-1310717, Nashville, Tennessee, [either $_____and/or the sum of ______% of the rest, residue and remainder of my estate, both real and personal] for the charitable purposes of Ronald McDonald House Charities of Nashville [if there is a designated program – insert its name here].”
Put Your Gift to Work Today: When you make an outright contribution to Ronald McDonald House Charities of Nashville — a donation you immediately impart — we both benefit. Your generosity enables us to meet our most urgent needs and carry out our mission on a daily-basis.
Your Benefits
When you support us with an outright contribution, your benefits include:
Steps to Take to Make Your Gift
Save in Taxes This Year: If you would like to support Ronald McDonald House Charities of Nashville with a tax-smart donation this year, a gift of appreciated stocks, bonds or other marketable securities that you have held for more than one year may be just the right gift for you.
Your Benefits
When making a gift of appreciated securities owned for more than one year, you will receive a double tax benefit:
Steps to Take to Make Your Gift
One of the easiest and most popular ways to make an impact at Ronald McDonald House Charities of Nashville is to include a charitable bequest in your will or living trust. A bequest allows you to leave a legacy of support for sick children and their families without affecting your cash flow today.
With a bequest, you can give a percentage of your estate, so that your gift will remain proportionate to the size of your estate, or you can give a certain amount of cash, securities or property. Either way, your gift allows you to retain full control of your assets now, while ensuring that RMHC of Nashville will continue to give strength and support to families far into the future.
Why Should You Choose a Bequest?
A bequest in your will or living trust is:
Steps to Making Your Bequest
Bequest Language
The following language is an example of wording that may be used to name Ronald McDonald House Charities of Nashville as a beneficiary of your last will and testament. Your gift may be of a specific dollar amount or it may also be a percentage of your estate.
“I, [name], of [city, state ZIP], give, devise and bequeath to Ronald McDonald House Charities of Nashville, Tennessee, Inc., [federal tax ID #], [written amount or percentage of the estate or description of property] for its unrestricted use and purpose.”
A Tax-Wise Strategy: While 401(k)s, IRAs and other retirement plans are excellent vehicles for accumulating assets for your use during retirement, much to many people’s surprise, they are a far less attractive way to pass an inheritance to loved ones. Here’s why:
The Tax Burden
Retirement plan assets are subject to heavy income and possible estate taxes when you name anyone other than your spouse as a beneficiary. These taxes can deplete a significant percentage of your hard-earned savings – leaving less for heirs than you had hoped.
A Charitable Solution
If you would like to include a gift to help children and families through your estate, consider the tax-smart strategy of naming Ronald McDonald House Charities of Nashville as the beneficiary of all or a portion of your retirement plan assets and leaving other less-taxed assets to your heirs. Because of our tax-exempt status, the full value of your retirement plan assets can make a difference in the lives of children who are sick.
Steps to Take to Make Your Gift
Donating retirement plan assets is easy and if you need to change or revoke your gift at any point during your lifetime, you can. Simply take these steps:
A Win-Win Donation Option: If you would like to make a donation to Ronald McDonald House Charities of Nashville, supplement your income during your retirement years and receive valuable tax benefits, consider establishing a charitable gift annuity.
How It Works
You can set up a gift annuity with a simple contract between you and Ronald McDonald House Charities of Nashville. You can make a donation and we, in turn, agree to pay a fixed amount each year for life to you alone or to you and another person you select. The rate of payment is set at the time of your gift and doesn’t fluctuate with the stock market, interest rates or inflation. After the lifetimes of the people receiving payments, the remaining balance is used to support children and families in need.
Your Benefits
Steps to Take to Make Your Gift
Receive Lifetime Payments for Your Generosity: If you are looking for ways to receive reliable payments while making a significant gift to Ronald McDonald House Charities of Nashville, you may want to consider a charitable remainder trust.
How It Works
With this type of gift, you create the trust and fund it with assets, such as cash, real estate or appreciated securities. You receive income (either a variable or fixed dollar amount) each year for the rest of your life or for a period of up to 20 years from the trust. At the end of the trust term, the balance in the trust goes to support our mission.
Your Benefits
Steps to Take to Make Your Gift
A Low-Cost Way to Make a Big Impact: If you would like to help us support children and families with a substantial gift with little cost to you, a gift of life insurance may be right for you.
How It Works
Your Charitable Options
Name Ronald McDonald House Charities of Nashville, Tennessee, Inc. as Beneficiary.
If you would like to obtain the flexibility to change your mind at any time by retaining ownership of a policy, you can:
Name Ronald McDonald House Charities of Nashville, Tennessee, Inc. as Owner.
You may be entitled to an income charitable tax deduction (when you itemize) for the value of a policy, future annual premiums or both when you:
Your Next Step
Contact Elizabeth Piercy at Ronald McDonald House Charities of Nashville to discuss your options for making a bigger impact than you thought possible through a gift of life insurance.
Endowment Gifts
Endowment gifts provide a permanent investment in Ronald McDonald House Charities of Nashville’s future. An endowment sustains program excellence by ensuring a continuous source of funding for our two programs and strategic plans for growth meeting the future needs of our medical community of families with critically ill children. From major gifts that support operations to targeted gifts that support a staff position in a specialized field, each endowment fund enriches the organization and the lives of our families.
When endowment gifts are received, the principal is held in perpetuity, with part of the annual earnings generating ongoing support for House activities designated by the donor. Although gifts, costs and fundraising revenue might fluctuate annually, the stability of an endowment ensures crucial strategic planning and program expansion stays on target. The Board Finance Committee of professional volunteers oversees policies and investments. Their goal is balancing asset diversity to maintain purchasing power over time and overcome inflation in higher program costs.
Named funds not only make a lasting impact at the House and Family Room, but also offer the opportunity to honor your family’s commitment to Ronald McDonald House Charities of Nashville or pay tribute to a loved one. Endowments can be established through contributions of cash, stock, charitable remainder trusts, bequests or other assets. Pledged payments, normally on a five-year timeline, are welcome.
To discuss endowment funds, please contact Elizabeth Piercy by phone at (615) 343-4000 or by email at legacy@rmhcnashville.com.
Parents don’t know when their children will need medical help. But they should know they can always access the care they need. And with your help, we can support them all throughout their journey.
