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Planned GivingPlanned Giving
Leave a Lasting Legacy
You can make a gift for self-directed democratic education today that will keep giving well into the future generations.
When you invest in the future with a planned gift to The Circle School, you:
- support the continued vibrancy and well being of The Circle School in the years to come
- enable more young people to access this unique learning environment in the future
- build a strong foundation for self-directed democratic education in Central Pennsylvania and beyond
Here are some creative ways to benefit The Circle School, yourself, and your loved ones all at the same time.
Name The Circle School in Your Will or Estate Plan
Would you like to support the mission of The Circle School, but have limited resources to do so? One way to make a big difference at no cost right now is to leave a gift to The Circle School in your will or estate plan.
When you invest in the future with a planned gift to The Circle School, you sustain more self-directed learners for years to come. Adding The Circle School to your will is easy.
How it works:
1 You designate a particular asset or a percentage of your estate to the school by including a bequest provision in your will or revocable trust. You can do this while creating your will* or trust, or you can amend an existing one with a simple document. The Circle School can be either a primary or a contingent beneficiary.
2 You inform the school of your commitment, which ensures your wishes can be fulfilled.
3 The Circle School receives the gift after your lifetime and applies it to bring self-directed education to young people for years to come.
4 Your distribution is fully deductible for federal estate tax purposes, and there is no limit on the deduction your estate can claim. In addition, the gift is usually exempt from state inheritance taxes.
* For more information on creating a will, look here.
The material presented on this Planned Giving website is not offered as legal or tax advice. Read full disclaimer.
Make the School a Beneficiary of Your Retirement Plan
Take care of democratic education and your heirs by making The Circle School a full or partial beneficiary of your IRA, 401(k) or other qualified retirement plan. The taxes applied to your retirement plan assets may be different than you imagined—in fact, using retirement assets to make a donation and leaving other assets to your heirs often enables you to give more to your heirs.
How it works:
1 You name The Circle School as the beneficiary of a qualifying retirement plan through a beneficiary designation form, ensuring assets will not be included in your taxable estate. An extra step may be required to designate a 401(k).
2 After your lifetime, the residue of your plan passes to The Circle School tax-free and to any other named heirs.
Your financial advisor can help you determine whether income from a gift plan or withdrawals from your retirement account would most benefit your heirs.
The material presented on this Planned Giving website is not offered as legal or tax advice. Read full disclaimer.
Put Your IRA to Work for The Circle School Today
Donate your IRA Minimum Required Distribution to The Circle School this year and lower your taxable income! Most IRAs require a minimum distribution each year if you are 70 1/2 or older. You can roll over this distribution to The Circle School TAX-FREE up to $100,000!
Sometimes called an “IRA Rollover” or a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD), this gift made directly from your qualified IRA can reduce your tax burden. While an IRA Rollover is part of the financial planning around your estate, it is a gift you can make today!
How it works:
- Individuals must be 70 ½ or older
- Gifts can be made from a Traditional or a Roth IRA (special exclusions may apply to other types of IRA accounts).
- The distribution must be rolled over (transferred) directly from your IRA to the school
- The amount you give (up to $100,000 per tax year) counts toward your Required Minimum Distribution (RMD).
- Send this IRA Rollover Form to your financial institution
The material presented on this Planned Giving website is not offered as legal or tax advice. Read full disclaimer.
Make the School a Beneficiary of A Life Insurance Policy or Bank Account
Share the remainder of a life insurance policy, bank account, or investment account with The Circle School by listing it as a beneficiary. You can make the school the sole recipient, or split the remainder with your heirs and the school. By putting your money toward an insurance policy with a sizeable death benefit, or toward an investment or bank account with growth potential, your generosity will be multiplied.
How It Works:
1 Your insurance company, bank, or investment firm provides you with a brief Beneficiary form when you open the account. You can add the school from the beginning, or request to update an already existing form.
We have included links to a few major firms below, for speedy access. If you have an account with one of these companies, the link will take you to the beneficiary form you need to update.
2 Name The Circle School as a beneficiary on the form. You can choose what amount, or what percentage, goes to the school and to your heirs. Include the school’s full name and EIN: The Circle School Corporation (Tax ID number 23-2304696)
3 Inform the school of your commitment, to ensure your wishes can be fulfilled. This enables the school to contact the insurance company or bank to receive the gift at the appropriate time.
4 The Circle School receives the gift after your lifetime and uses it to bring self-directed education to young people for years to come.
Benefits
- Your gift costs you nothing now. You retain control of your assets during your lifetime.
- You can change your mind or modify your gift if circumstances change.
- Your gift can remain anonymous if you choose.
- Your gift may provide tax savings or help reduce the tax burden for your heirs.
- You can leave a gift in honor or memory of someone.
- You will be remembered as someone whose legacy included promoting self-directed education, supporting happy, capable young people.
The material presented on this Planned Giving website is not offered as legal or tax advice. Read full disclaimer.
“It feels good to think that someday we’ll be making a gift to a place that is so special to us.”
Stacy Kuyk-White
Alumni Parent
Read more here about why Stacy and her husband recently included The Circle School in their will.
“Initially, enrolling our daughter Taylor at The Circle School was out of a desire for her to take back control of her education.
Over time, we’ve come to view The Circle School as a beacon of hope for a better society, which is perhaps an ambitious and certainly long-term aspiration. With this perspective in mind, adding the The Circle School to our will was an easy decision.”
Questions about planned giving?
Contact the school at financial@circleschool.org or office@circleschool.org or use this form to
