Legacy Society

United Way of Southern Maine’s Cornerstone Legacy Society honors those who make the extraordinary decision to invest in the future of our community through a planned gift to United Way of Southern Maine, as well as outright gifts to our endowment.

Membership in the Cornerstone Legacy Society offers a meaningful way to leave an enduring personal legacy for the community that’s become such an important part of your life and to inspire others to do the same.

How To Join

Members of our Legacy Society have made different kinds of planned gift commitments—many of which have no impact on their lifestyle today.

You could:

  • Include United Way of Southern Maine in your will or revocable trust.
  • Endow your annual gift to United Way.
  • Name United Way of Southern Maine as the beneficiary for part of all of a retirement plan, such as an IRA, 401(k), or 403(b).
  • Name United Way of Southern Maine as the beneficiary of a fully-paid life insurance policy.
  • Give a gift that also provides income for you and your family, such as a charitable gift annuity or charitable remainder trust.

By confirming your intent in writing, you help United Way of Southern Maine to plan for the future and inspire others to consider making an extraordinary gift as well.

Bequests

A bequest is one of the easiest gifts to make in your will or trust. With the help of an advisor, you can include language in your will or trust specifying a gift to be made to family, friends, or United Way of Southern Maine as part of your estate plan.

A bequest may be made in several ways:

  • Gift of a percentage of your estate.
  • Gift of a specific dollar amount or asset.
  • Gift from the balance or residue of your estate.

Gift from a retirement asset, such as an IRA account: If the IRA were given to your family, much of the value may be lost through estate and income taxes. By designating United Way of Southern Maine as the beneficiary of all or part of your IRA (using a beneficiary designation form provided by your custodian), the full value of the gift is transferred tax-free at your death and your estate receives an estate tax charitable deduction.