What do you think of when you hear the words “planned giving”? Maybe you picture a retired person adding a bequest to the will. Or perhaps you think a legacy gift requires a large sum of money. We sat down with our newest Evergreen Circle members, Ari and Shauna Betof, to discuss their decision to make a planned gift to Friends Council on Education. As a young family, they were surprised at how easy, inexpensive, and
meaningful it can be.
Here is a snapshot of the conversation with Ari and Shauna:
Why did you decide to support Friends Council with your planned gift?
Ari: Shauna and I have a lifelong commitment to lifting up Friends education and supporting Quaker schools. Friends Council on Education can draw upon expertise across all Friends school to support Quaker education writ large today and into the future. That is Friends Council’s mission.
Shauna: We also made a planned gift to George School where we both work and live and where Ari is an alumnus.
Why did you decide to make a planned gift now?
Shauna: We wanted to do something meaningful now, something that would carry into the future.
Ari: We are at a good stage of life to consider a planned gift. As parents of young children, we have to think about all the ways the future might unfold. This gift is part of the whole picture. We want to take care of our family and our intentions should something terrible happen.
Shauna: It’s part of being a responsible parent, part of the “what if” thinking you do.
Was it hard to make your planned gift?
Ari: We have been talking about making a planned gift for a few years, but we were waiting until we updated our will. We were happy to discover that it’s possible to name Friends Council on Education as a beneficiary of our retirement account. TIAA-CREF makes it very easy to do. It was one simple form for each of us.
Shauna: We were also glad to know that we could assign a percentage of our 401K and not be limited by a specific dollar amount. It’s a small amount today, but it will grow, so that hopefully it will be substantial by the time it comes to FCE.
Ari: If it had been complicated, we probably wouldn’t have gotten around to it right now. But it only took about 30 minutes.
Shauna: We hope it can be a model for our children. This is one way we want to demonstrate our values to our girls.
Please consider joining Ari and Shauna as members of the Evergreen Circle of Friends.
Planned gifts can be made in several ways, including: Bequests, Trusts, Securities, Charitable Gift Annuities, Retirement Assets, and Life Insurance.
To discuss these and other giving options, please contact Amy Ward Brimmer at 215-241-7533. We look forward to talking with you about
sustaining the vital work of Friends Council on Education.
