The Cornelian Associate Society
The Pleasure and Promise of Charitable Bequests
If an important part of your life’s story is your relationship with Rosemont College, then there is no better way to honor that relationship than to create a lasting legacy of generosity that will shape the future of Rosemont for generations to come. Adding a gift for Rosemont to your will (also known as a bequest) or retirement plan is a simple act with impressive consequences. However, bequests still qualify as something of a best-kept secret. Few people realize their impact on Rosemont College.
Here are a few points we would like you to consider:
- Leaving a gift to Rosemont in your will or retirement plan is one of the easiest gifts to make. You can create it in any dollar amount, designate a percentage of your estate, or gift specific property.
- The generosity of thirty-four donors just like you has totaled nearly $11.5 million in gifts to Rosemont over the past 10 years.
- The average bequest size (not counting two multi-million dollar gifts) was $95,000.
- The smallest bequests were in the range of $500 - $10,000.
The College’s largest gift in its history, to date, was a bequest of $5.3 million from a friend of the College Eleanor M. Weisbrod. Through her will, Eleanor provided the funds to create two endowed scholarships. One in honor of her sister, Sr. Helen Mary Weisbrod, SHCJ, and one in honor of her parents. Her bequest also contributed additional funding to the scholarship that bears her name. Her foresight and generosity also allowed the College to modernize the Kistler Library by constructing the Weisbrod Informations Commons.
Cornelian Associates
If you plan for a future gift to Rosemont College, we’d like to honor you with membership in a very special group, the Cornelian Associates. How do you join? It’s a one-step process: just let us know about your charitable bequest.
As a member of the Cornelian Associates we will include your name in our annual Honor Roll of Donors. If you prefer to remain anonymous, that is fine too.
Q. Is it easy to add a charitable gift to Rosemont to my will?
A. Yes. Nothing could be simpler. A short phone call to your lawyer does the job.
Q. What if I don’t have a will yet?
A. A surprising number of people — even those with substantial assets — never get around to this essential task.
When a person dies without a will, the law determines how to divide up the assets in the estate. With a will, you assert full control: your written wishes dictate exactly how and to whom your assets will be distributed.
If you don’t have a will yet and would like a referral to a qualified estate attorney in your community, Rosemont may be able to help. We’ve worked with many lawyers. Just give us a call at 610-527-0200 x2216.
Q. Do I have to leave a specific dollar amount to Rosemont as a bequest?
A. While you can name a specific dollar amount in your will you can also arrange to leave a percentage of your estate’s value or the residual of your estate after other gifts are made. We welcome gifts of any size.
Q. Does my bequest gift have to be cash?
A. No. You have several options in addition to cash:
- Physical assets such as a home.
- Financial investments such as stocks, bonds, or certificates of deposit.
- A life insurance policy or retirement plan. You can arrange for this type of gift by making Rosemont College your beneficiary.
The Board of Trustees of Rosemont College recently approved a Gift Acceptance Policy that allows the College to give recognition and credit to donors for bequests or other planned gifts. By doing so, Rosemont will be able to include your name in listings of donors regardless of when your bequest was originally made, if that is your preference.
In order for credit and recognition to be given by the College, appropriate documentation must be provided to Rosemont College.
Documentation must include the following:
1. The commitment should specify an amount to be distributed to the organization or, if a percentage of the estate or a trust, specify a credible estimate of the value of the estate at the time the commitment is made.
2. Date of birth of the donor.
3. Verification of the commitment through one of the following forms:
(a.) A letter or agreement from the donor or donor’s advisor affirming the commitment.
(b.) Copy of will. (The only portion necessary is that which includes Rosemont College.)
(c.) Notification form, signed by donor or advisor.
If you have questions or need more information, please contact Julie W. Hyland at 610-527-0200 x2434 or Julie.hyland@rosemont.edu.
Information contained herein was accurate at the time of posting. The information on this website is not intended as legal or tax advice. For such advice, please consult an attorney or tax advisor. Figures cited in any examples are for illustrative purposes only. References to tax rates include federal taxes only and are subject to change. State law may further impact your individual results. California residents: Annuities are subject to regulation by the State of California. Payments under such agreements, however, are not protected or otherwise guaranteed by any government agency or the California Life and Health Insurance Guarantee Association. Oklahoma residents: A charitable gift annuity is not regulated by the Oklahoma Insurance Department and is not protected by a guaranty association affiliated with the Oklahoma Insurance Department. South Dakota residents: Charitable gift annuities are not regulated by and are not under the jurisdiction of the South Dakota Division of Insurance.