WELS Foundation

Explore gift options. There are a variety of ways to make a special gift to the Lord’s work. You’ll want to consider your family’s and your own financial needs—how to maximize tax benefits, maintain an income, and preserve assets for your heirs. This tool steps you through the different possibilities to recommend the best gift for your situation.

Run a personalized gift illustration. Click the “personalize” button and choose the gift you are interested in from the dropdown list at the top. Fill in the form fields and your deduction calculation will appear within the infograph of the gift.

Talk to someone. A WELS Christian giving counselor will assist you with completing your charitable goals (no cost or obligation).

By setting up a WELS Foundation charitable gift annuity, you are creating a lasting legacy and helping to do the Lord’s work. Giving is an act of worship—another way to offer your Lord a thankful response for his never-failing gifts.

WHAT IS A GIFT ANNUITY?

A charitable gift annuity is a contract between you and WELS Foundation, in which you make a gift of cash or securities (stocks, bonds, mutual funds) in exchange for fixed payments for life. After the passing of the annuitant, the remainder of the gift will be used by your congregation, mission work of the church, schools, area Lutheran high schools, or other WELS-affiliated ministries. Like the stones placed by the River Jordan, your gift is a means to share God’s grace with others well after you enter the Promised Land of heaven.

WHAT ARE THE FEATURES?

• Flexible: You can begin annuity payments right away or sometime in the future when you need additional income. While there is a minimum gift size of $10,000, there is no maximum limit. You can fund a gift annuity for yourself, a loved one, a friend, or even an employee.
• Secure: Your annuity payments are backed by the assets of WELS Foundation, Inc.
• Permanent: Your annuity payment is a fixed amount, dependable and unchangeable.
• Minimum ages: Immediate payment annuities are available to WELS members aged 60 and older; deferred payment annuities are available to members aged 45 and older.
• Irrevocable: Once established, a gift annuity cannot be changed or cancelled. You may, however, choose to end the annuity payments to you and allow the residual to be paid directly to your chosen ministries.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS?

• Joy: Arrange to benefit the area of the Lord’s work that is closest to your heart.
• Fixed payments for life: Your gift comes with the assurance of steady, lifelong payments.
• Tax savings: You receive an immediate income tax charitable deduction, and in most instances a portion of your gift annuity payment will be a tax-free return of original principal. If you transfer appreciated assets for a gift annuity, you defer tax on a portion of the capital gain, with the balance of the gain spread over your expected lifetime. If you defer annuity payments until a future date, you also delay reporting of the capital gain.
• Lasting legacy: After the passing of the annuitant(s), the balance will be used to continue the Lord’s work in your congregation, synod, or other WELS ministries.

For a personalized, no-obligation gift annuity illustration, please contact us.

An endowment fund is a donor restricted gift that is not spent immediately but invested in a diversified investment portfolio. Annual distributions from the endowment funds are used to provide a source of ongoing financial support for WELS ministries.

Through WELS Foundation, an individual, family, congregation, or any WELS-affiliated ministry can establish a donor designated endowment, such as the Smith Family Memorial Fund or St. Paul Lutheran Church Endowment Fund, for the benefit of any WELS ministry.

The endowment can be established with current gifts or testamentary gifts (i.e., wills, trusts, beneficiary designations on retirement accounts, insurance proceeds).

By setting up a charitable remainder trust, you are creating a lasting legacy helping to do the Lord’s work. Giving is an act of worship—another way to offer your Lord a thankful response for his never-failing gifts.

WHAT IS A CHARITABLE REMAINDER TRUST?

A charitable remainder trust is created when you transfer cash, securities (stocks, bonds, mutual funds), or real estate to WELS Foundation, but keep a specified income interest—usually for life. When the trust ends per your designations, the property in the trust passes to your designated beneficiaries, such as your church and/or synod. Like the stones placed by the River Jordan, your gift is a means to share God’s grace with others well after you enter the Promised Land of heaven.

WHAT ARE THE FEATURES?

• Gift size: Minimum of $200,000.
• Irrevocable: Once established, a charitable remainder trust cannot be revoked.
• The recommended payout rate is five percent.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS?

• Lasting legacy: You can create designations that provide for the special needs of your heirs (i.e., college funds). When the trust ends, the balance will be used to continue the Lord’s work in your congregation or synod.
• Fixed payments for life: Your gift comes with the assurance of steady, lifelong payments.
• Tax savings: You receive an immediate income tax charitable deduction for a portion of the gift amount. Capital gains tax on appreciation is deferred at the time of transfer, leaving the entire value of your assets to generate future income.
• Payments: You, or those you designate, receive trust payments. These can be a fixed or variable amount.
• Increased cash flow: By funding your trust with low-paying assets, you might even increase your cash flow by making a gift.
• Peace of mind: Free yourself from investment worries by securing professional management of the assets you have.
• Flexibility: You can choose several income beneficiaries and the length of the trust term.

For a personalized, no-obligation gift illustration, please contact us.

By setting up a donor advised fund, you are creating a lasting legacy and helping to do the Lord’s work. Giving is an act of worship—another way to offer your Lord a thankful response for his never-failing gifts.

WHAT IS A DONOR ADVISED FUND?

A donor advised fund is a charitable giving vehicle wherein an individual, family, or corporation makes an irrevocable, tax-deductible contribution of cash, securities, or other property to WELS Foundation and at any time thereafter can recommend grant distributions to qualified WELS ministries. The fund can be established with current gifts, deferred gifts (such as charitable gift annuities and charitable remainder trusts), and testamentary gifts (such as wills, revocable trusts, or beneficiary designation for life insurance policies or retirement accounts).

WHAT ARE THE FEATURES?

• Gift size: The minimum initial gift is $10,000. Donors can add funds in $100 increments at any time.
• Individual: You may name your donor advised fund. You, or the persons you designate, may recommend distributions to organizations listed in the WELS Yearbook from your fund—anonymously if you so choose.
• Grant recommendations: The minimum amount that may be recommended is $250. Each fund must distribute at least five percent of its asset value annually.
• Lasting legacy: You may designate others to continue recommending distributions after your lifetime (usually for a period of 20 years) to support your home congregation or other favorite WELS ministries.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS?

• Joy: Arrange to benefit the areas of the Lord’s work that are closest to your heart, including WELS congregations, mission work, schools, agencies, and other ministries.
• Tax savings: You receive an income tax charitable deduction in the year of your gift to your donor advised fund, regardless of when grants are made. As with all gifts of long-term appreciated securities, none of the appreciation is subject to capital gains tax.
• Recommend gifts when ready: Contribute to your donor advised fund this year, and decide later which of the WELS ministries you want to support.
• Encourage family stewardship: Help your children and other loved ones experience the joy of giving by involving them in the decision-making process for the grant recommendations.

WELS Foundation, Inc.
N16W23377 Stone Ridge Drive
Waukesha, WI 53188

Tax Identification #39-6084446