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Giving Home > How to Give > Blended Gift

Blended Gift

There are many lifetime and estate gift options that can make your giving go further at Wheaton than a simple gift of cash or property.

Student in Wheaton blue showing a thumbs up sign and standing with Roary, Wheaton's mascot.

Blended gifts are gifts that help you see the impact of your giving today and continue to support Wheaton's mission in the future.

Benefits of blended gifts

  • Increase the impact of your giving.
  • Preserve wealth for you and your loved ones.
  • Enjoy greater tax savings.
  • See the results of your giving today.

Blended gifts video

How blended gifts work

  1. A planned gift can be added to your annual gifts of cash or property this year to increase the impact of your giving, provide greater tax savings, preserve wealth for you and your family and further Wheaton's mission to offer a transformational liberal arts education.
  2. There are many blended gift possibilities such as a charitable bequest, charitable gift annuity or charitable remainder unitrust.
  3. If you have already included a bequest in your will or created another planned gift that will support Wheaton in the future, you could additionally give an annual gift of cash, stocks or other assets this year and see the impact of your giving today.
  4. You can avoid capital gains taxes by making a gift of your real estate, stock or other appreciated investments.

Popular Blended Gifts

1. Wheaton Fund Gift and Bequest

A "Wheaton Fund Gift and Bequest" is a combination of a current gift to the Wheaton Fund and a charitable gift made in your will or trust. It is an easy way to support the college today and make a lasting future impact.

Benefits:

  • Receive a charitable income tax deduction for your Wheaton Fund gift this year.
  • Leave a lasting legacy through a bequest to support the college and continue to use and control those bequeathed assets during your lifetime.

How it works:

  • You can make a Wheaton Fund gift this year by contacting us or visiting our giving website. Then, with the help of an attorney, you can include language in your will or trust specifying a legacy gift to be made to Wheaton as part of your estate plan. Or you can make a bequest by designating the college as a beneficiary of your retirement account or life insurance policy.

2. Donor Advised Fund (DAF) and Bequest

A "DAF and Bequest" is a combination of a current gift through your donor advised fund today and a charitable gift made in your will or trust to benefit Wheaton in the future. It is a wonderful way to support the college now and leave a lasting legacy.

Benefits:

  • Obtain a charitable income tax deduction in the year of your DAF gift.
  • See firsthand how your DAF gift makes an impact during your lifetime.
  • When you pass away, your heirs can recommend charitable gifts from your DAF and continue your philanthropic legacy.

How it works:

Once you establish your DAF, you recommend current gifts from your fund to Wheaton during your lifetime. Then, with the help of an attorney, you can also make a bequest, designating the college as a beneficiary of your retirement account, life insurance policy or other assets.

There are multiple ways you can use a DAF to establish a bequest. You could designate your DAF account as a beneficiary of your estate. Then when you pass away, your assets flow into your DAF and your heirs can continue your legacy of giving to the college. Alternatively, you could name Wheaton as the beneficiary of your DAF.

3. IRA Rollover Gift and Bequest

An "IRA Rollover and Bequest" is a powerful way you can support Wheaton. You can make a series of IRA rollover gifts today while also establishing your legacy through your future bequest.

Benefits:

  • If over age 70½, you can roll over up to $111,000 from your IRA to charity.
  • You are not taxed on the IRA charitable rollover.
  • If over age 73, IRA rollover may fulfill your required minimum distribution.

How it works:

You can start the IRA rollover gifts plan during your lifetime with annual Wheaton Fund gifts. Make your giving go further and create a lasting legacy by adding a charitable bequest to your IRA rollover gifts. A bequest is an easy way to leave a gift to Wheaton as part of your estate plan.

4. Gift and Charitable Gift Annuity

An alternative way you can support Wheaton while receiving lifetime payments is to make a gift today and also fund a charitable gift annuity.

Benefits:

  • A helpful benefit of this gift is that you receive an income tax deduction.
  • A charitable gift annuity provides fixed payouts for one or two lives.
  • With a charitable gift annuity funded with cash, a substantial amount of each payout is tax free.

How it works:

You can make your giving go further at Wheaton and create a lasting legacy by adding a charitable gift annuity to your current gift. With your charitable gift annuity, we send you fixed payments and you also enjoy tax savings. After all payments are completed, your gift will help Wheaton provide future students with a transformational liberal arts education.

More on blended gifts

Blended gifts use a variety of giving strategies by combining the power of current gifts and planned gifts including bequests. Blended gifts can be a great way for you to achieve your financial, tax and estate planning goals while also supporting Wheaton.

See how a generous Founder Society member utilized a blended gift at Wheaton to achieve their philanthropic goals.

Contact us

Contact us for more information to help you get started.