Donors considering significant gifts to the American Red Cross of the Greater Lehigh Valley are advised to seek independent tax, legal and/or financial planning counsel prior to completing their gift.

There are a number of possibilities for making a planned gift to the American Red Cross of the Greater Lehigh Valley Chapter that do not require large amounts of assets.

• Bequest in Wills
• Charitable Gift Annuities
• Trusts
• Life Insurance
• Retirement Plans

To Give a Specific Amount:
"I give, devise and bequeath to the American Red Cross of the Greater Lehigh Valley, Bethlehem, PA, the sum of $__________ ."

To Give a Percentage (residual):
"I give, devise and bequeath to the American Red Cross of the Greater Lehigh Valley, Bethlehem, PA, ____ percent (__%) of my residual estate."

For a Residuary Bequest (remainder):
"All the rest, residue and remainder of my estate, of whatsoever nature or wheresoever located, I give, devise and bequeath to the American Red Cross of the Greater Lehigh Valley, Bethlehem, PA."

And remember: Everyone, no matter how little he or she may have in the way of assets, needs a will. This is especially true if one has children, for without a will, the state decides who serves as their guardian when parents are deceased.
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Annuities - The American Red Cross has been offering Charitable Gift Annuities since 1980. The program is nationally administered through the National American Red Cross.
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Trusts - You can create a trust that will pay annual income to the American Red Cross of the Greater Lehigh Valley for a period of years prior to distributing the principal to your children or grandchildren. The income we receive will create a charitable estate tax deduction. This technique may allow you to make a substantial gift at a cost as low as five cents on the dollar, and avoid taxes which might otherwise claim as much as 60% of your estate.
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Life Insurance - You can amend an existing insurance policy to add the American Red Cross of the Greater Lehigh Valley as a beneficiary. If you want to amend your group life insurance policy to add the American Red Cross of the Greater Lehigh Valley as one of your beneficiaries, you can accomplish this by discussing it with your employer's personnel office.
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Retirement Plans - You can amend your retirement plan to add the American Red Cross of the Greater Lehigh Valley as one of your beneficiaries by discussing this with your employer's personnel office.
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If you are interested in learning more about the various forms of planned giving, contact Sandy Gaspar, director of development at 610-865-4400, ext. 258 or at GasparS@usa.redcross.org.

The information contained herein is intended for reference purposes only, not as legal or tax advice. The actual benefit for any donor may vary with the nature and timing of his or her gift. Please consult your own tax and/or legal advisor with respect to your personal circumstances.