Understand the starting point.
A charitable bequest is a gift to a charity through a will. A will does not necessarily control everything you own: some assets pass through beneficiary designations or other arrangements. Consider the whole plan with an estate-planning professional familiar with your state.
American Bar Association: introduction to wills (opens a new tab)
Prepare for the conversation.
- Identify the intended organization. Start with the cause you care about and research the charity’s work. Confirm its full legal name, address, and EIN directly with its planned-giving or development team. Ask whether a national organization and local chapter use different receiving entities.
- Describe what you hope to support. Write down whether your intention is general support or a particular program. Ask the charity what gifts and restrictions it can accept, and discuss what should happen if the program changes.
- Think through the intended gift. Bring your priorities, family commitments, assets, and existing documents to the discussion. Ask your adviser to explain possible gift structures and their implications before choosing one.
- Review the whole estate plan. Include wills, trusts, and beneficiary designations in the review. Account and policy beneficiary forms can govern assets separately from a will; check them with the relevant institution and your adviser.
- Confirm execution and future review. Ask what signing, witnessing, storage, and update steps apply to your documents and state. Revisit the plan after material changes in family circumstances, assets, or the charity.
Background: ABA: beneficiary designations (opens a new tab) · Example of a charity’s planned-giving resources (opens a new tab)
Bring questions, then choose a service.
Ask an online provider which documents and states it supports, what professional help is included, how updates work, and the total cost. Personal circumstances matter: blended families, property in different states, business interests, and special needs may call for individualized advice.
Trust & Will offers online estate-planning services. Review its current scope and terms to decide whether to explore it further with your adviser. No single service fits every situation.
General U.S. estate-planning education, not legal or tax advice or document drafting. State law and individual circumstances control. This checklist does not establish a valid gift or promise a tax result.
