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The Florida Grantor, Summer 2003

The Able Trust Endowment: Helping You Help Others, Helping You Help Yourself

By Barry Ward
Vice President of Endowment Development

These past few years have indeed been an eye opener for many as to the importance of planning for the future. How many of us would ever feel secure without setting aside a portion of our current income for our retirement? I’m sure many of you have remembered your children and other loved ones in your will. Building an endowment for the future of The Able Trust is very much like this sort of planning.

Simply put, an endowment fund is a vehicle in which many different kinds of assets (cash, real estate, appreciated securities etc.) can be irrevocably transferred and then invested to generate income. The income from the fund is used to pay for staff positions, programs or capital needs as designated by the donor while the principal, the original invested sum, remains untouched. The IRS considers that giving items, such as appreciated assets, is such a good gesture that you will receive a charitable deduction, and the capital gains tax will be waived.

A Case for Support
A strong endowment helps guarantee that we can continue meeting the needs of the fifty-plus agencies that receive grant funding from The Able Trust each year. That amounts to over $2 million annually, and with the challenges in today’s economy, that figure will not likely decline. A secure endowment helps assure that programs such as High School/High Tech and the Youth Leadership Forum remain in tact. Like the endowment, these programs help prepare for a sound future, a future that ensures that young adults with disabilities are prepared for the workforce that lies ahead.

How Can I Give to The Able Trust?
There are many methods of giving that can increase the impact of your gift to The Able Trust. By taking advantage of tax benefits, financial planning and arrangements for future gifts, you may be able to do more than you ordinarily could for yourself, your family and for The Able Trust. Our Endowment Development office is available to listen to you, to talk about The Able Trust and to show you opportunities that link your situation and interests with the needs and vision of The Able Trust.

If you would like to learn more about The Able Trust’s endowment program and how you can help, please contact Barry K. Ward, Vice President of Endowment Development at 888.838-2253, Ext. 231, or barry@abletrust.org. We would be happy to send you our Guide for Donors and their Advisors.