A great way to support the mission of the Michigan Conference of Seventh-day Adventists is to leave a bequest in your Will or Trust. Your bequest will leave a lasting legacy to God’s kingdom by contributing to the work that Christ gave us to do in spreading the Gospel and the Three Angels' Messages.
Bequest Benefits
A bequest is generally a revocable gift, which means it can be changed or modified at any time. You can choose to designate that a bequest be used for a general or specific purpose so you have the peace of mind that your gift will be used as intended. Bequests are generally exempt from federal estate taxes. If you have a taxable estate, the estate tax charitable deduction may offset or eliminate estate taxes, resulting in a larger inheritance for your heirs. You will want to check with a CPA or tax attorney for your specific situation.
Bequest Language
In order to make a bequest, you should speak with your attorney. Your attorney can help you include a bequest in your estate plan with the legal language necessary to accomplish your giving and planning goals.
Bequests to the Michigan Conference of Seventh-day Adventist churches, schools or other entities must be made to the “Michigan Conference Association of Seventh-day Adventists”. For tax purposes the Association tax ID is 38-6143724.
Bequests made directly to the Michigan Conference or its ministries can be designated to the "Michigan Conference of Seventh-day Adventists" with tax ID 38-1467642.
Types of Bequests
There are several ways you can make a bequest to the work of the Michigan Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.
- Specific Bequest. A specific bequest involves making a gift of a specific asset such as real estate, a car, other property, or a gift for a specific dollar amount.
- Percentage Bequest. Another kind of bequest involves leaving a specific percentage of your overall estate to charity.
- Residual Bequest. A residual bequest is made from the balance of an estate after the will or trust has distributed each of the other specific bequests. A common residual bequest involves leaving the entirety or a percentage of the residue of the estate to charity.
- Restricted Bequests. Restricted bequests ensure that your bequest will be used for a specific purpose, entity, ministry, or charity. If you are considering a bequest but would like to ensure that it will be used for a specific purpose, please let us know. We would be happy to work with you and your attorney to help you identify ways to give and meet your charitable and personal financial objectives.
- Contingent Bequest. A contingent bequest is made to a charity only if the purpose of the primary bequest cannot be met. For example, you could leave specific property, such as a vacation home, to a relative, but the bequest language could provide that if the relative is not alive at the time of your death, the vacation home will go to the charity or ministry of your choice.
Contact Us
Please contact us at PGTS@misda.org if you have any questions about how to make a bequest or need additional information.