Legacy & Estate Gifts

Legacy gifts are a special way you can honor the past while preserving the future of Simmons

Over 100 years ago in his best demonstration of generosity, John Simmons established a profound legacy by endowing Simmons University in his will through a bequest.

Legacy and estate gifts are often created your lifetime and completed when you have passed away. But planned gifts are not only about the future; they are also about financial planning so your hopes and dreams will become a reality today.

With thoughtful planning, your gift to Simmons will have a long-term impact on the University's future while meeting your near-term personal and financial goals. After reviewing the information below, we encourage you to consult with your own qualified advisors to determine how these options might affect your personal tax and estate planning objectives. Simmons is happy to provide assistance to your advisors, at your request.

Express your bequest intentions by downloading our Planned Giving Intention form and returning it to the Office of Planned Giving. 

If you would like more information about making a legacy or estate gift to Simmons, contact Kathryn Benjamin via email.

Giving by Bequest

If you have a will, or plan to create one, consider including a gift for Simmons along with gifts to the family, friends, and causes that matter most to you. Bequests are easily created, fully revocable, and can be crafted to meet your needs and goals.

If you are 70 or older and willing to sign a Letter of Intent and provide a copy of your plans, Simmons may be able to include a portion of your bequest intention in the College's fundraising totals. Sample bequest language and common types of bequest arrangements.

Gifts of Securities

Through gifts of appreciated securities, you may be able to reduce or eliminate capital gains tax liability, resulting in a larger gift to Simmons, and transform potentially low-yielding assets into a steady stream of income. Learn more about gifts of securities.

Gifts of Retirement Assets (IRAs)

You can also designate Simmons as a charitable beneficiary of your retirement plan (including IRAs), 401(k), pension or life insurance policy. This gift is also easy to arrange, and revocable. It might also help you meet charitable goals while saving less heavily taxed assets for your heirs. Learn more about creating your legacy through gifts of retirement assets.

Charitable Remainder Trusts

A charitable remainder trust can help you create a gift today, establish income for one or more individuals (either fixed or variable) and enjoy significant tax benefits. Trusts are generally appropriate for gifts of $100,000 or more because of the time needed to create and administer each one. Every trust is governed by its own trust document that is created by Simmons University in partnership with you and your legal and financial advisors. Learn more about charitable remainder trusts.

Gifts of Real Estate and Tangible Property

You may wish to leave Simmons gifts of tangible property, such as real estate or works of art. Learn more about gifts of real estate and tangible property.

Gifts of Life Insurance

If you own a life insurance policy with a cash value, you many make a gift to Simmons of that cash value and qualify for a charitable income tax deduction. Learn more about gifts of life insurance.

Donor-advised Funds

A donor-advised fund - or DAF - is a charitable account, sponsored by a public charity, which donors use to support their philanthropy. After establishing a donor-advised fund, the donor may recommend grants to qualified public charities. They may also advise the sponsoring organization on the investment strategy for the charitable assets. A sponsoring organization is 501(c)(3) public charity that sponsors a donor-advised fund program, which often consists of thousands of individual DAF accounts.