St. John’s welcomes legacy gifts from parishioners. Legacy gifts include bequests through a will, designations of St. John’s as a beneficiary of a life insurance policy or retirement plan, and lifetime gifts such as an annuity or charitable trust.
You can find an overview of the legacy giving program at St. John’s Legacy Giving Program. We have prepared a list of answers to questions that are frequently asked about an estate plan which can be found at Frequently Asked Questions about Estate Planning. You can also find a useful guide to help you organize the information and frame your intentions for your estate plan, and thereby ease the burden on your heirs to find the information that they will need after you pass away at Getting Your Affairs in Order. There is also a short summary of the Key Documents that are used to specify your intentions for your heirs, possibly reduce estate and inheritance taxes, avoid or reduce the cost and time for probate of your will by a court, provide direction regarding end of life treatment and set forth your intentions for the care of minor children and to manage your finances if you encounter a disability that prevents you from doing so for a time.
The Vestry established the Norwood Guild to recognize those who have committed to make a legacy gift to St. John’s. Unless they chose to remain anonymous, the Church will periodically recognize them by publishing their names in the Sunday bulletin, Crossroads, and other St. John’s media and through other activities. We also have established a separate category, called Norwood Saints, to recognize parishioners from whom we have received a legacy gift after they have passed away.
Legacy gifts contribute to the future growth and mission of St. John’s. If you have made a legacy gift but have not notified the Church of your gift, please complete the very brief Norwood Guild Acknowledgement Form and return it to the Church office. Of course, if you would like to discuss making a legacy gift, please contact the church at [email protected] or by phone at 301-654-7767. You can also contact Earle O’Donnell at [email protected] if you need information or would like to discuss your plans.
There are a variety of ways to make a legacy gift. For example, you can make a bequest to St. John’s in your will by making a gift to St. John’s of a specified amount of money or a specific percentage of the residuary value of your estate. Examples of possible language to effectuate either approach are shown below.
Specifying a Gift Amount
Add the following bequest language to your plan:
“I bequeath the sum of _________ dollars to St. John’s Norwood Parish in Chevy Chase, MD (Tax Identification number 52-0607889).”
Designating a Percentage
Add the following bequest language to your plan:
“I bequeath an amount equal to _____ percent of the net value of my estate [or plan] to St. John’s Norwood Parish in Chevy Chase, MD (Tax Identification number 52-0607889).”
Gifts of Stock
If you wish to make a gift via stock transfer, provide the following information to your broker:
St. John’s brokerage: RBC Wealth Management
DTC #: 0235
Name and quantity of securities
For the benefit of: St. John’s Church Norwood Parish; Account 31927176
Stock certificates may be mailed to our financial advisor at this address:
Joseph Smart
RBC Wealth Management
5425 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 301 | Chevy Chase, MD 20815
Phone: 301-907-2721 | Fax: 301-907-2701 | Toll-free: 800-234-9562
Email: [email protected]
Please email St. John’s Finance Manager to ensure that your gift is properly credited.
~ Earle O’Donnell, Co-Chair for Legacy Giving, Norwood Parish Fund
