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eRate Newsletter | March 16, 2018

IRS DISCOUNT RATE: April 3.2%

The Practical Aspects of Accepting Beneficiary Designation Gifts

Charities market beneficiary designations of 401(k)s, IRAs and other qualified plans as an easy, low-cost way to make a tax-wise planned gift. This is true for the most part. The details of completing a beneficiary designation can be more challenging than they appear, however. There are pitfalls and potential mistakes that can result in a failed beneficiary designation and no gift to charity.

In this article, we'll discuss how to avoid these pitfalls and potential mistakes.

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UPCOMING WEBINARS

Working with Younger Donors

Presented by
Jeffrey Lydenberg

Thursday,
March 29
1:00 - 2:30 pm ET

REGISTER

Extend Your Reach: Make Major Gift Officers Active Partners in Gift Planning

Presented by
Craig Smith

Thursday,
April 19
1:00 - 2:30 pm ET

REGISTER

UPCOMING TRAINING

Planned Giving Manager

April 24-25, Seattle, WA (ACGA)
May 2-3, Boston, MA (PGGNE)

GiftWrap

April 10-11, Cambridge, MA

Lead Trust School

June 21, Cambridge, MA

Planned Giving by the Numbers

June 22, Cambridge, MA

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Quick Tip: Resetting Your Password In PGM Anywhere

Forget your password? All users should try the Forgot Password link on the PGM Anywhere sign-in screen. You will need to know your clientname and username to use this feature.

If that doesn't work, you will need to ask your primary administrator to reset your password. If you are an active PGM Anywhere user, PG Calc can tell you your clientname and username. We can also tell you who is your primary administrator.

If you are the primary administrator and you are locked out of PGM Anywhere, PG Calc can reset your password. Call 888-474-2252 or email support@pgcalc.com.

PGM users are encouraged to sign up for PGM Anywhere at no additional charge.

Marketing Corner: When Does Something Become a Trend?

It's always interesting to discuss the latest marketing trends, especially since trends don’t occur that often in the planned giving world. However, in the last 18 months, we have conducted several marketing evaluations and audits that have revealed something - a shift in thinking.

READ MORE

New GiftWrap Enhanced Security Module

PG Calc’s GiftWrap is the industry standard in planned gift administration software. And as such, GiftWrap incorporates in its architecture design state-of-the-art security features. As a GiftWrap user, you can be confident that your valuable donor data is secure and will retain its integrity.

However, there are times when compliance requirements demand an even more comprehensive security solution. That solution is the GiftWrap Enhanced Security Module. This is an optional GiftWrap module comprising a series of stand-alone security features that will enable you to meet the most stringent of security requirements.

The Enhanced Security module comprises a collection of functions that separately and in the aggregate enhance overall GiftWrap security. The Enhanced Security module functions include the following:

  • Hosting Options
  • IP Filtering
  • Enhanced Data Masking
  • Two-Factor Authentication
  • Single Sign On (SSO)
  • Identity Access Management Data Feeds

Note that Enhanced Security module functions are separately priced, and can be purchased in bundles, or on a stand-alone basis.

For more information, see our Enhanced Security Module Data Sheet.

Testamentary Gifts of Retirement Plan Assets

The charitable IRA rollover has received a lot of attention from gift planners over the last few years, especially since it was made permanent by the PATH Act in late 2015. In your excitement over attracting charitable IRA rollover gifts, however, don’t forget a source of gifts with much greater potential: transfers of retirement plan assets at the donor’s death. This source of gifts offers several big advantages over the charitable IRA rollover.

For a comprehensive treatment of this timely topic, read the knowledge base article just posted by Bill Laskin, PG Calc VP Product Management.

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The Latest Issues and Topics in Planned Giving - Subscribe to the PG Calc Blog

PG Calc's blog is an excellent source for opinions, perspectives, and information on the latest trends and issues in planned giving.  Our expert planned giving staff posts weekly on topics such as these:

  • The Tax Cuts and Job Acts and Charitable Giving.
  • Life Expectancy Is Not a Guarantee.
  • Are Your Marketing Efforts Working?
  • Is Giving Up or Down? Depends on How You Count.
  • What Is The New Lifetime Gift and Estate Tax Exemption Amount, Anyway?

Become a PG Calc blog subscriber and you will get the opportunity to learn from and respond to our great staff of blog authors.

Simply go to the blog page on the PG Calc website, and submit the form.

Let's have a conversation!

IRS Confirms Estate Tax Exclusion for 2018

The IRS has confirmed in Revenue Procedure 2018-18 that the basic estate tax exclusion amount for decedents who die in 2018 is $11,180,000. This amount is therefore also the lifetime exclusion amount for gift tax and generation skipping tax purposes in 2018. It is also the exclusion amount that we included in our Planned Giving Manager update in late January in response to the new tax law (PGM 7.5), rather than the $11.2 million figure that was widely reported in the press. The $20,000 difference is due to the new inflation adjustment factor applicable for 2018 and thereafter under the new law. The new inflation adjustment factor is the Chained Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers.

The Los Angeles Philharmonic Finds PG Calc's Bequest Manager to be the Single Tool to Meet All of Their Requirements!

The Los Angeles Philharmonic is celebrating its Centennial, and for almost as long as the orchestra has been around, they have received planned gifts. In 2014, the Gift Planning department separated into its own department from the larger Development team, assuming responsibility for marketing, prospect management, solicitation, stewardship, and the administration of planned gifts. For the Centennial, the development department as a whole has a goal of raising $500 million, and of that, $100 million is to come from planned gifts. Thus far, over $300 million has been raised, of which $51 million is in planned gifts. The LA Phil legacy program has as 360 members, and the goal for the Centennial Campaign is to increase the number of legacy members to 625 by the end of the campaign.

The LA Phil's Gift Planning team was given a really big goal, and they quickly figured out that they needed the right tool to help them reach their goal. They needed one place to keep track of all the legacy members, and more importantly, all of the trust administration. Their general fundraising database had a planned giving module, but sadly it was only good for recording bequest intentions and expectancies, and had no trust administration capacity. They found that "right tool" in PG Calc's Bequest Manager.  The LA Phil board also asked for future projections of when money might feasibly come in.  Without Bequest Manager’s reports, they wouldn’t be able to do future projections. The LA Phil has found Bequest Manager to be an excellent one-stop shop to keep track of stewardship, reporting, and trust administration.

Shelley De Leon, Manager, Gift Planning, Los Angeles Philharmonic Association, had this to say about PG Calc’s Bequest Manager:

“Managing a trust and bequest department has never been easier. From initial notification that we are in someone’s will or trust, to receiving the final check distribution, PG Calc’s Bequest Manager helps to keep track of every step of the journey with our donors. It’s so nice to work on a platform that was built by a leading planned giving company.  Bequest Manager is built with the planned giving professional and no other fundraising department in mind.”

Learn more about the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

Learn more about Bequest Manager.