What do the following famous people have in common? Aretha Franklin. Prince. Amy Winehouse. Jimmy Hendrix. Sonny Bono. Abraham Lincoln. Michael Jackson. James Gandolfini. Princess Diana. Heath Ledger. All these well-known, popular, and successful people died without a will, or their existing will was outdated at their time of death. Some are more historic, and some are more recent, but they all shared a common lack of an up-to-date estate plan.
While you may or may not have clients who share the same level of name recognition or wealth as those listed above, no one wants their final legacy to be determined by the courts. National Estate Planning Awareness Week, October 16 - 22, 2023, is an opportune time to encourage your clients to create an estate plan to ensure their loved ones are cared for, and that their charitable legacies are designed optimally to achieve their goals with maximum impact.
As a trusted professional advisor, your clients rely on you for expertise and guidance when planning their legacies and transferring accumulated wealth to their family, friends, and favorite charities. DuPage Foundation recognizes the important role you fill for your clients and is here to assist you in helping them design a legacy plan that ensures their charitable goals will be achieved efficiently and effectively, in accordance with their wishes.
It is estimated that more than half of Americans (56%) do not have an up-to-date estate plan, according to the National Association of Estate Planners & Councils (NAEPC). Established by a congressional resolution in 2008, National Estate Planning Awareness Week was created to encourage Americans without an estate plan to contact their attorneys and other professional advisors, such as their accountant, financial advisor, life insurance agent, and trust officer, for help.
For clients who are philanthropic, creating an estate plan that includes a charitable element can be a powerful way to do something impactful for their community and favorite causes. Besides naming one or more favorite charities to receive a one-time estate gift, it is also possible for them to create lasting endowments for specific areas of local interest (e.g., basic human needs, the arts, education, mental health, the environment, animal welfare, etc.) that will ensure their support continues annually.
As DuPage County’s philanthropic leader, DuPage Foundation’s knowledgeable staff is committed to helping area residents support their favorite causes, learn about local opportunities, and address critical needs. Clients interested in making a charitable impact—locally and beyond—can plan a gift to DuPage Foundation through a will or trust, or name DuPage Foundation as a beneficiary of a life insurance policy, retirement account, or other financial account. If desired, they even have the opportunity to begin to implement their plans while living. We stand ready to be your partner in helping your clients navigate these decisions toward the implementation of their charitable goals.
Michael Trench
Vice President for Advancement
michael@dupagefoundation.org
630.665.5570
Yashica Weeks, CFRE, CAP®
Director of Gift Planning
yashica@dupagefoundation.org
630.598.5288
Kaitlyn Miller Balsewicz, CFRE, CAP®
Assistant Director of Donor Services
kait@dupagefoundation.org
630.598.5292
Michael R. Sitrick, JD, CFRE
President & CEO
mike@dupagefoundation.org
630.598.5285
