Planned Giving

As you decide who will benefit from your estate after your lifetime, consider the lasting impact you can make when you include Midland University in your plans. Not only would you have a lasting impact on tomorrow’s generation, you would also benefit personally from the tax advantages received during your lifetime, adding up to more dollars for you to pass on.

Even more, you can decide how your gift will be used. Provisions can be made in deferred gift agreements to establish scholarships, fund a future building project, underwrite faculty salaries or support the general endowment of the college.

By providing a planned gift to Midland University, you are leaving a lasting legacy for generations to come and witness to your belief in the mission of Midland University. In turn, your gift may encourage others in their stewardship. To thank you, Midland University would like to recognize you as a member of our Victory Society for including Midland University in your estate plan.

Marcia Peitzmeier Anderson

Class of '64

“It is with gratitude to Midland University for what it gave me that I established an estate gift for future students to use—The Marcia A. Peitzmeier Anderson Scholarship. Midland’s mission statement is “Inspire people to learn and lead in the world with purpose,” focusing on dynamic, relevant learning experiences to equip students with skills for success, grounded in core values like Faith, Quality, Respect, Stewardship, and Learning to foster purpose-driven lives and careers. That is exactly what the institution provided for me during the four years I attended. During my lifetime and after, I want students to have the opportunity to have the education, experiences, and support I received as a student many years ago. That can be accomplished with some financial support, so greatly needed by students, through an estate scholarship.”

Below are a few common ways to include Midland University in your estate plans.

General Bequests

You can gift a specific asset, a set dollar amount, or a percentage of your estate to charity. Percentage gifts are most common as they adapt to changes in your estate’s value over time.

Scholarships

STEP 1 | Determine Your Goals

Visit with the Advancement Team to determine your goals and the type of scholarship you wish to establish. We will discuss the criteria for your scholarship and determine a name for your scholarship.

STEP 2 | Fund Your Scholarship

The Advancement Team will work with you to determine how you would like to fund your scholarship. Scholarships can be established through a one-time gift, a two or three-year pledge for perpetual scholarships, or through your estate. Family members and friends can also give to your scholarship. Your scholarship will be awarded once the minimum contribution requirements are met.

STEP 3 | Contribute to Success

Once your scholarship begins to be awarded, you are contributing to a student’s success at Midland! Each year, you or a designated family member will receive a report to notify you who received your scholarship, and you will be recognized for your scholarship on Midland’s website.

Beneficiary Designations

Naming a charity as the beneficiary of a retirement account, life insurance policy, or bank account is easy and flexible. It is especially tax-smart for retirement accounts, allowing the full amount to go to charity tax-free.

Life Insurance Policies

The easiest way to make a gift of life insurance is to include a percentage (1%, 5%, 10% or more) to Midland University as a part of the primary beneficiary designation. This is referred to as a "Life Share" gift and is fully revocable. Substantial gifts can also be made by making Midland University the beneficiary of a new policy or an existing policy that is no longer needed. In this event, premiums paid by the donor to continue coverage are tax deductible.

Gifts of Real Estate

Depending on the circumstances involved, gifts of real estate can be an effective means of planning a gift. While the first thought often is a home or farm, real estate also can involve a vacation home, an apartment or commercial building, a shopping center, or undeveloped land. Each piece of property and its unique circumstances need to be reviewed to determine the suitability of the property as a gift. Generally speaking, an acceptable piece of property is one that can be readily sold.

Payable on Death (POD) Note

This simple revocable arrangement can be attached to a variety of assets (IRA's; CD's; TSA'S; TDA'S; annuities; employee savings plans; etc.) to facilitate a gift after the lifetime of the owner(s).

Charitable Remainder Trust

A "split-interest" gift that pays an income stream to your heirs for a number of years, with the remainder going to charity. This offers both family support and potential estate tax savings.

Charitable Lead Trust

A gift that pays an income stream to charity for a period of years and then passes a large asset, at a reduced tax consequence, to your heirs.

Help With Your Legacy Planning

NEW: Create your legal will or trust at no cost with FreeWill—a special gift for friends of Midland. Get started at lutherangiving.org.

Lutheran Giving is a trusted partner to help explore your planned giving options. Lutheran Giving provides free, confidential charitable estate planning consultation for anyone wishing to leave a gift for an ELCA ministry, including Midland University.

Sarah Callahan, MBA, AEP, CAP, Executive Director of Lutheran Giving, will customize your current and future giving plan and can work collaboratively with your professional advisors. In partnership with the Midland University Institutional Advancement Team, Sarah will help to ensure you are maximizing your giving to leave a lasting legacy at Midland.

Sarah can be contacted at 402-342-5728 or scallahan@lutherangiving.org, or to learn more, visit lutherangiving.org.

Please notify the Institutional Advancement Office at Midland University if you are considering giving or have already given any of the above types of planned gifts. We are available to help you as you consider your estate plans.

For more information, please contact:

Laura Jensen
Vice President for Institutional Advancement
402-941-6523
jensen@midlandu.edu