Planned Giving is Smart Giving!

In these challenging economic times many of us are thinking more carefully
about the best ways to put our money to good use. With careful planning, there are a
number of ways we can support the future of Smith while simultaneously meeting some
of our own personal financial goals and objectives. A Planned Gift such as a
Bequest or Life Income Gift will benefit generations of Smith women far
into the future.

Bequests: A bequest is naming Smith as a beneficiary in your will, trust,
or IRA. It is a very effective and meaningful way to give back to Smith, as well as the
simplest method. All you need do is to inform the Planned Giving office that Smith
is named as a beneficiary in your estate plans. It does not have to be a large amount
and you may remain anonymous if you wish. Just passing along word that you
have made Smith a beneficiary is sufficient.

Life Income Gifts: A life income gift can take several forms. A
charitable annuity is the most applicable for our age and has become the most popular planned gift at Smith. It’s a contract where you make a gift to Smith ($10,000 minimum),
and in turn Smith guarantees you or a designated beneficiary a fixed annual
payment, generally in quarterly installments, for life. The benefits of a
charitable gift annuity are manifold and include a pre-established, fixed amount of yearly income -- guaranteed and secure -- and numerous tax benefits. You may designate your
gift for a specific purpose or your special area of interest if you wish.

A word about IRA’s: Do you know that IRA’s are often the most heavily
taxed asset people own? The good news is that with good planning, you can minimize
this issue and make the most of your estate for your heirs while also
supporting Smith. To find out more about using retirement plan assets to achieve your charitable goals, please contact the Planned Giving office.

How is Planned Giving related to the Grecourt Society? The Grecourt
Society (TGS) is an honorary society started in 1994 to recognize alumnae and friends who have included Smith in their estate plans. Any kind of planned gift makes
one a member of The Grecourt Society. It provides the college an
opportunity to recognize and thank those generous individuals for their thoughtful planning. Jan Oresman serves as volunteer chair of TGS.

If you wish to explore ways to structure a gift to Smith or you would like appropriate language to include Smith in your will or trust, I urge you to contact the friendly, very helpful staff in the Planned Giving Office:

Planned Giving Office
Phone: (800) 241-2056 option 5
E-mail: planned_giving@smth.edu
Website: www.smith.edu/future/planned

Thank you for your interest and support of Smith’s future!
Liz Sessions Kelsey, Planned Giving Chair