Foundation committee spearheads successful Planned Giving Seminar at Las Ventanas

Las Ventanas sits on the western edge of Las Vegas, but rather than gamble with charitable gifts, residents of the HumanGood community instead decided that it would be far more beneficial to brush up on the financial fundamentals of different types of giving.

The Las Ventanas Foundation Committee teamed up with financial advisors this past summer to present a planned giving education seminar and discussion for residents. About 20 residents attended each of the two sessions held in the morning and afternoon at investment offices across the street from the community.

“The seminar was made up of sessions that explained everything you ever wanted to know about planned giving, and our goal was to get people interested in doing so,” says Las Ventanas Community Foundation Chair, Carolyn Leontos.

“For a lot of people, this information wasn’t new, but it was a really good update, as even when a plan is in place, it’s a good idea to brush up on the financial fundamentals.”

Speakers included an investment counselor, who covered how donating stocks and/or mutual funds can yield benefits such as avoiding taxes on the gains, and an estate planning attorney, who explained how using correct language in a will and/or trust can ensure that a share of an estate goes to the donor’s charity of choice. ABHOW Foundation President Jeff Glaze provided details on the different aspects of giving that require more planning, but don’t require writing a check.

The speakers also answered questions and talked about the importance of reviewing things on an annual basis, as laws can change. For instance, the seminar covered the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2016 and how it ended years of uncertainty about qualified charitable distributions. Its changes made tax-deductible donations to qualified charities from individual retirement accounts into a permanent part of the tax code.

Leontos says she left the sessions pleased with the positive resident feedback. “The sessions were definitely successful, and the post-event feedback showed that residents learned new information and tips,” she says. “So overall, the sessions were very, very well-received. People loved it and they even asked, ‘Are you going to be doing that again?’”