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Planned Giving

How can you help ensure that First Parish will continue for many generations to come? Make a Lasting Gift by including The First Parish of Watertown in your Estate Plan. The First Parish of Watertown gratefully accepts bequests from donors who wish to include THE FIRST PARISH OF WATERTOWN in their estate plans. Bequests may be unrestricted or restricted to a particular purpose, and they may be in the form of specific property or amounts of funds, percentage of a total estate, or balance (residue) of an estate after other bequests are made. Sample language for these bequests is set forth here, along with a sample bequest intention letter that can be sent to the Minister. If you have any questions, please contact THE FIRST PARISH OF WATERTOWN’s Minister or have your attorney or estate planning professional contact her.

What is planned giving?

Planned giving is making arrangements now for how your money is disbursed when you die. Planning for legacy gifts allows the donor to express their personal values by integrating charitable, family, and financial goals. It is something you can do at age 20 or age 90, regardless of your financial resources.

Why consider a gift to FPW?

Your financial support will help ensure that future generations will inherit and enjoy this free faith and all that First Parish has to offer?

Are planned gifts important?

Yes! It is thanks to legacy gifts from past generations that First Parish exists today. Planned gifts, including charitable bequests made through a will, are often the single largest and most significant gifts an individual can make to our congregation.

What are my gift options?

There are many choices. You can select a specific program that is close to your heart to receive your gift or you can designate the funds to be unrestricted.

Your gift can be immediate or deferred. Some methods provide tax advantages for your estate. Others provide a lifetime income for you while protecting some assets for the designated recipient.

A Charitable Bequest

If you are unable to commit to making a significant gift to First Parish at this time in your life, you may wish to provide for that gift through a bequest in your will.

A Gift of Cash

In your will you can designate First Parish to receive a specific dollar amount upon your death. This requires putting a few simple sentences into your will or other estate planning documents. Consult your estate planner for other bequest options.

Donate Your Retirement Plan Assets

Your decision about who gets the remainder of your retirement plan depends on your family’s circumstances; their needs come first. But if you have already provided for your family in your estate plan, consider naming First Parish as the primary beneficiary of one or more of you retirement accounts. You can do this simply as a change in beneficiary, without touching or changing your will or other estate planning documents.

A Gift of Life Insurance

You may wish to contribute a life insurance policy that is no longer needed for its original purpose. Simply ask the life insurance company for a designation of beneficiary form.

Life Income Gifts

These gifts include Charitable Gift Annuities, Pooled Income Funds, and Charitable Remainder Trusts. Typically the donor makes an irrevocable gift and receives a charitable deduction the year the gift is made. The donor or others receive income for life; the remainder is left to First Parish.

Securities or Real Estate

Legacy gifts of other types of assets, such as securities or real estate, are also possible. Please consult your estate planner and First Parish if you are considering these types of gifts.

Why We Give

Past generations of First Parish stewards set a great example that inspires me to join them in insuring that future generations will have the spiritual home this church is to me. I am blessed to be able to make First Parish one of my beneficiaries in my estate plan.
Judy

First Parish has been at the center of our lives for more than thirty years. And we realize that it is a community that has been made possible by the generosity of members for generations. It is only right that we do all we can to help First Parish continue as a welcoming community for future generations by putting it in our will.
Missy & Bob

Sample Gift Language

To Make a General Unrestricted Bequest

I give __________ Dollars ($_______) to The First Parish of Watertown, for its general charitable purposes.

To Make a Restricted Bequest

I give __________ Dollars ($_______) to The First Parish of Watertown, to be used for ________________ [describe gift purpose, e.g. “to be added to Perpetuity Fund or its Helen Robinson Wright Fund ”; “to be used to support the building fund”].

To Make a Specific Bequest

I give __________ [property description, e.g. “my residence located at 123 Main Street, Boston, Massachusetts”; “___ shares of XYZ Corporation common stock”] to The First Parish of Watertown, for its general charitable purposes.

To Make a Residuary Bequest

I give the residue of my estate to The First Parish of Watertown, for its general charitable purposes.

To Make a Percentage Bequest

I give ____ Percent (___%) of the residue of my estate to The First Parish of Watertown, for its general charitable purposes.

Planned Giving Sample Bequest Letter

TODAY’S DATE

Dear Reverend __________,

It is my/our pleasure to inform you that I/we have named The First Parish Of Watertown (FPW) of Watertown, Massachusetts, as a beneficiary of my/our estate plan. This letter signifies my/our intention to make a bequest through my/our estate plan of approximately $_________ to be used [STATE YOUR DESIRED USE FOR THE GIFT: e.g., added to FPW’s Perpetuity OR Helen Robinson Wright Fund; or to be used for general charitable purposes; etc].

This gift will take the form of being [STATE THE TYPE OF GIFT THIS IS, e.g., the sole beneficiary of my/our Individual Retirement Account (IRA), or life insurance policy, or bequest in a will/trust, bank or investment account, etc].

Understanding that this gift intention may be changed at any time I/we will inform you should I/we change my/our intent toward FPW or should the dollar value of my/our potential donation significantly increase or decrease.

I/we am/are gratified to be able to support First Parish and the wonderful work it does, both in Watertown and in the world.

Sincerely,

 

YOUR NAME(S)

ADDRESS

 

BE SURE TO KEEP A COPY OF THIS LETTER WITH YOUR ESTATE PLAN DOCUMENTS.

Thank you. First Parish is deeply grateful for those who have already made a legacy gift to our church.

For further information please see our Planned Giving Brochure and contact the church office at (617) 924-6143, and you will be put in touch with one of the Trustees.

First Parish does not provide legal or tax advice. Please consult with your own advisors for your own individual circumstances.