I have always been a fan of using life insurance as a way to make a charitable donation. It provides benefits to the organization you are supporting in both the near and short term. Once it is set up, administration is easy for you and the organization.

Life insurance would probably be used more often for this purpose if it was easier to understand. There are variations, but probably the most straightforward is to purchase a life insurance policy from an agent. A type of life insurance called whole life insurance must be used for this purpose. Term life insurance is ideal for other situations, but doesn?t work for this application. Your agent can explain why this is the case. Life insurance rates vary, so it is a good idea to get a life insurance quote from a few different agents, or check life insurance rates online. Age, health and lifestyle all have an effect life insurance rates.

At time of purchase of the life insurance policy, you should designate the organization you are supporting as the beneficiary of the insurance proceeds. This means that when you die, the life insurance benefit goes to the charity. Once you purchase the life insurance policy and it is issued, you must then assign ownership of the life insurance policy to the organization. You continue to make the premium payments to the life insurance company, who will issue you an annual tax receipt that can be deducted as a charitable donation.

In summary, you receive the same tax benefits as if you made a donation, the organization accrues equity in the life insurance policy that it can use at any time, and when you die, the organization receives the life insurance proceeds. These final proceeds may be far more than the sum of payments you have made. As mentioned earlier, there are a few variations to this concept and regulations regarding tax deductions and other tax considerations vary from country to country, so check with a life insurance agent or do some more research about life insurance online before you proceed.

Ron Strand is a college instructor and consultant. He has written some of his 30 years of fundraising experiences in a new website, Ron’s Fundraising Ideas.