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Wills and Bequests 

Make a bequest to Willamette University in your will or living trust

• Leave a legacy for future generations of Willamette students
• Retain full use and control of your assets during your lifetime

Regardless of your charitable intentions, you should have a will or living trust in place to protect your family and ensure that you, rather than the state, determine the legacy you leave. Attorney fees for drafting a simple will or living trust typically are surprisingly modest. If you have an existing will or living trust, your attorney can easily add a provision for a bequest to the University. Bequests should refer to "Willamette University, an Oregon nonprofit corporation located in Salem, Oregon." If you wish, you can designate a specific University program or fund to benefit from your bequest. Even seemingly small bequests to Willamette can make a meaningful difference in the lives of future students.

Bequests can take the following forms:

• A percentage bequest provides that Willamette will receive a specified percentage of your estate. You can choose any percentage you wish. A percentage bequest assures that inflation does not reduce the true value of the gift you intend for the University.
• A general bequest provides that the University will receive a designated amount of money from your estate.
• A specific bequest provides that the University will receive a specific asset, such as real estate or stock of a corporation.
• A residuary bequest provides that the University will receive the balance of your estate (or a designated percentage of the balance) after all estate administrative costs, percentage bequests, general bequests, and specific bequests have been satisfied.
• A contingent bequest allows you to build a contingency into your bequest, for example, a stipulation that the University will receive a portion of your estate only if your spouse is not living at the time of your death.

The Office of Gift Planning would be pleased to discuss with you or your attorney ways to include the University in your estate plans. Please contact us at (503) 370-6022. If you have already included Willamette in your estate plans, please let us know so that we can help ensure that your wishes are fulfilled. In addition, we would like to include you in the R.A. Booth Society.

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The discussion above is general in nature and may not apply to all individuals. Prospective donors are urged to consult their individual tax and financial advisors concerning the specific consequences of making gifts to the University.