Bequest Language
One way for you to support Bemidji State University Foundation's mission is to leave us a bequest. A bequest is a gift made to charity in your will or trust. One significant benefit of making a gift by bequest is that it allows you to continue to use the property you will leave to charity during your life. Another benefit is that by making a bequest you are able to leave a lasting legacy.Types of Bequests
There are a number of ways you can make a bequest to Bemidji State University Foundation. You can leave what is called a specific bequest. A specific bequest involves making a gift of a specific asset such as real estate, a car, other property or a gift for a specific dollar amount. For example, you may wish to leave your home or $10,000 to Bemidji State University Foundation. Another kind of specific bequest involves leaving a specific percentage of your overall estate to charity. For example, you may wish to leave 10% of your estate to Bemidji State University Foundation.
Another kind of bequest is called a residual bequest. A residual bequest is a bequest that is made from the balance of an estate after the will or trust has given away each of the specific bequests. A common residual bequest involves leaving of a percentage of the residue of the estate to charity. For example, you may wish to leave 30% of the residue of your estate to Bemidji State University Foundation.
Bequest Benefits
There are no limitations on bequest gifts. Bequests may be made for a general or specific purpose. All bequests are exempt from federal estate taxes. If you have a taxable estate, the estate tax charitable deduction may offset or eliminate estate taxes resulting in a larger inheritance for your heirs.
Bequest Language
In order to make a bequest, you should speak with your attorney. Your attorney can help you include a bequest to Bemidji State University Foundation in your estate plan. We have provided some basic bequest language to assist you and your attorney.
- Outright Bequest
If you are considering making an outright bequest to Bemidji State University Foundation, we recommend the following language:
Bequest of a Specific Dollar Amount
"I hereby, give, devise and bequeath $ to Bemidji State University Foundation, a non-profit corporation located at 1500 Birchmont Drive NE #17, Bemidji, Minnesota 56601, Federal Tax ID #23-7044156, for Bemidji State University Foundation's general use and purpose."
Bequest of Specific Personal Property
"I hereby, give, devise and bequeath (description of property) to Bemidji State University Foundation, a non-profit corporation located at 1500 Birchmont Drive NE #17, Bemidji, Minnesota 56601, Federal Tax ID #23-7044156, for Bemidji State University Foundation's general use and purposes."
Bequest of Specific Real Estate
"I hereby give, devise and bequeath all of the right, title and interest in and to the real estate located at (address) or (description of property) to Bemidji State University Foundation, a non-profit corporation located at 1500 Birchmont Drive NE #17, Bemidji, Minnesota 56601, Federal Tax ID #23-7044156, for Bemidji State University Foundation's general use and purposes."
- Restricted Bequest
In cases where donors are making a restricted bequest, we recommend that your attorney include the following provision to give Bemidji State University Foundation flexibility should it no longer be possible for our Bemidji State University Foundation to use your gift as you originally intended:
"If, in the judgment of the Board of Directors of Bemidji State University Foundation, it shall become impossible for Bemidji State University Foundation to use this bequest to accomplish the specific purposes of this bequest, Bemidji State University Foundation may use the income and principal of this gift for such purpose or purposes as the Board determines is most closely related to the restricted purpose of my bequest."
Contact Us
Please contact us if you have any questions about how to make a bequest to Bemidji State University Foundation or to request any additional information that might be helpful to you and your attorney as you consider making a bequest to us.