Planned giving—any gift that’s included as part of a person’s long-term financial or estate plans—can take several forms. It can be as simple as naming Ithaca College as a beneficiary in a will or making the college a beneficiary of a specific dollar amount or percentage of a retirement plan or life insurance policy.
Another popular way to make a planned gift is by establishing a life income gift. A charitable gift annuity can be established with either cash or appreciated securities, and it provides the donor with income for life.
“There are several ways for people to include IC in their long-term financial plans to cast a legacy within the college,” Mazza said. “We are so grateful to our alumni that have included us in their plans and for the impact their gift will have on future IC students.”Maura Keenan ’93, a School of Business alumna, offers one example of planned giving. A former member of the women’s basketball and softball teams, Keenan generously left $50,000 in her will to those programs.
“I wanted it to go to the two programs that had a big influence in my life, to give opportunities to student-athletes to do things they couldn’t otherwise do,” she said. “A bequest is a wonderful way to leave a legacy and impact lives well past your years.”