Estate Planning

You can provide now for a future gift to Holy Trinity by including a bequest provision in your will or revocable trust. Your will or trust directs a bequest for the purpose you specify.

For estate planning questions, please contact the Parish Office at 630-968-1366 Ext. 128.

Benefits of a Bequest

• Your assets remain in your control during your lifetime.
• You can modify your bequest if your circumstances change. You can decide whether we will benefit outright through your will or only after other conditions are met, such as the distribution of bequests to heirs and other loved ones.
• You can direct your bequest to a particular purpose; be sure to check with the church to make sure your gift can be used as intended. (By leaving your gift unrestricted, you leave open many doors of opportunity. Of course, the choice is entirely yours.)
• There is no upper limit on the estate tax deductions that can be taken for charitable bequests.
• What form should your gift take: You may choose to designate that we receive a specific sum from your estate (ie. $5,000), or you may choose to leave a percentage of your estate (ie. 5%).
• You can give almost any kind of asset through a bequest: including cash, securities, an interest in real estate (ie. residence), tangible personal property (ie. works of art, antiques), the remainder of your IRA, Keogh, tax-sheltered annuity, qualified pension or profit-sharing plan.
• You even have the option of endowing your gift to provide a lasting financial resource. Because we never spend the principal of an endowed gift, there is always income to support our programs and projects.
• You can have the satisfaction now of knowing that when you are gone, your memory will live on through your bequest in the way you intended.

Sample Bequest Language

Unrestricted Specific Bequest: "I give to Holy Trinity Catholic Parish, Westmont, IL, the sum of (dollar amount) for its general purpose."

Unrestricted Residual Bequest: "I give, bequeath and devise the rest and residue of my estate to Holy Trinity Catholic Parish, Westmont, IL, for its general purposes."

Restricted Use Bequest: "I give to Holy Trinity Catholic Parish, Westmont, IL, the sum of (dollar amount) for (specify how the gift is to be used)." It might be a good idea to allow for alternate designations if the church cannot fulfill your primary wish.