Create a Legacy

Planning a gift to Y.O.U. can help Cleveland’s youth for decades to come. You could provide the tools and resources they need to get on a path to economic self-sufficiency. Whether it’s a teen’s first summer job or training that prepares a young adult for a living wage job, your gift can positively impact our region and its health for generations.

What is Planned Giving?

  • It’s easy. Helping youth can be as simple as adding a sentence to your existing will or adding Youth Opportunities Unlimited on a beneficiary form.

  • You have flexibility. Your gift can be a percentage so it remains in proportion to other desires you wish to fulfill. It can also come to Y.O.U. only after your other needs are met.

  • You have options. Your gift can be unrestricted, placed in our endowment, fund a specific program, or used as a tribute to a family member.

  • You may realize tax benefits. Gifts of appreciated stock also help to avoid capital gains and are accepted by Y.O.U.

Every gift has a profound impact. Whether your gift is $5,000 or $500,000, your gift makes a real difference in the lives of our teens and young adults.

Bequest by Will or Trust

The simplest way to make a legacy gift to Y.O.U. is to make a bequest through your will of trust. Sample Bequest Language: “I give, devise and bequeath the sum of $______ (or describe the percentage of estate or specific asset/type of property you wish to give) to Youth Opportunities Unlimited (Tax ID: 34-1381135), whose legal address is 1228 Euclid Ave., Ste. 200, Cleveland, OH 44115, for its unrestricted general use and purposes.”

Retirement Plan

Naming Y.O.U. as a beneficiary of your retirement plan, such as IRA, Keogh, 401(k), and 403(b), is an opportunity to avoid income and estate tax penalties while benefiting the community. Since these assets are the most heavily taxed, you could benefit your heirs by transferring them to a tax-exempt organization and leaving other assets not subject to income tax to your heirs.

Life Insurance

Consider naming Y.O.U. as a beneficiary of a life insurance policy. You can do so the following ways:

  • You can irrevocably name Y.O.U. as the owner and beneficiary of an existing policy.

  • Choose to name Y.O.U. as the beneficiary of a life insurance policy you continue to own.

  • Talk to Y.O.U. about establishing a new life insurance policy that meets your charitable goals.

IRA Charitable Rollover

Another planned giving option for supporters 70.5 or older is to give a tax-free gift directly from your IRA of up to $100,000 per owner per year. You can use your gift to satisfy all or part of the required minimum distribution. Since it doesn’t count as income, it can reduce your annual income level.

If you are interested in any of the planned giving options, contact Heather Light. To view the Y.O.U. Gift Acceptance Policy, visit here.