Your Will

After providing for your loved ones, a provision in your will to leave a gift to Brandeis University will give you a great deal of satisfaction, knowing that your future gift will help Brandeis students for generations to come. Gifts through wills are popular because they are both easy to arrange and can be changed at any time. Charitable bequests can include cash, securities, real estate, or other property, and may be identified specifically, as a percentage of your entire estate, or that part of your estate that remains after making specific bequests.

Estate Tax Savings

Your charitable bequest, in any form, is free from federal estate tax and may significantly reduce taxes assessed against your estate. This means that Brandeis will be able to use the full amount of the gift, where gifts to others may be substantially reduced by taxes imposed.

Choosing How Your Bequest Will Be Used

The choice is yours. You may allow the University to determine where the money is most needed (unrestricted bequest), or you may designate the purpose (restricted bequest), choosing to support such ongoing needs as scholarships and named endowed chairs.

Making Your Bequest

Making a new will, or changing your current will should be done with the assistance of your attorney. The planned giving staff will be happy to provide assistance to you and your attorney.

Sample Language

I give and bequeath to Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, the sum of ___ (or X%) to be used to provide scholarship assistance to students.

or

I give and bequeath to Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, the sum of $____ or its equivalent value for the general educational purposes of the University.

or

I give and bequeath to Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, ____ percent of my residuary estate for the general educational purposes of the University.

By making a gift through your will, you will know that your generosity will touch countless generations of future students at Brandeis.

Please let us know of your intent as we would like to invite you to become a member of the Sachar Legacy Society. You may also contact our office if you would like to be an anonymous member of the Sachar Legacy Society. For further questions about making a planned gift, please contact Orla Kane at 800-333-1948 extension 64069 or email directly at kane@brandeis.edu.