Monday’s speaker was Jennifer Nohelty, the Founder and CEO of Gift Planning Services. Jenny is a graduate of the Metropolitan State College of Denver’s Personal Financial Program, where she received her Certificate in Personal Financial Planning. She’s in her third decade advising non-profits and educating donors on the best ways to maximize their legacy potential. When she’s not on the road visiting clients or hanging out with her granddaughter, you can find her at the movies (with popcorn-extra butter), curled up with a suspense/crime novel, or enjoying a good glass of wine with those she loves. Jenny is a newcomer to the Quad Cities, having moved her a few years ago when her husband accepted a new job.
Gift Planning Services, LLC was originally founded by Jenny in 2000 to meet the need for organizations to have a development professional without the cost of hiring a full-time employee. As the need grew, her vision expanded into the non-profit space, serving charitable organizations around the nation. Today, the mission of Gift Planning Services is to help charitable organizations increase their impact in ways well beyond their wildest dreams because of the generosity of their donors.
Gift Planning Services is a collection of passionate leaders with the shared belief that charitable organization have immense potential to change the landscape of the world through the generosity of their donors. With thoughtful legacy planning, donors can cultivate a legacy plan that speaks to the story of their life’s investment and passion.
The counselors at Gift Planning Services work with individuals and families to identify opportunities to leave a legacy that represents their values AND allows them to maximize their gifts to both charities and loved ones.
Their job is to show you what you have and show you what you could. They answer important question for you such as:
- I have a Will; do I need a trust?
- How do I talk to my kids about this?
- Do I have to wait until I die to create a legacy?
- Why can’t my beneficiaries take care of this?
- What is probate?
- If I set up a trust, will it look like I’m trying to control my family from the grave?
Having a legacy plan gives you a chance to review and see the full picture. It’s not just a legal document but the legacy you want to leave when you are gone. Gift Planning Services helps you ensure you have all of the documents you need to leave the legacy you want and provides peace of mind.
About 70% of all people do not have a will, and about 50% of those who do have a Will or Trust do not know what it says. Without a will, the state decides what happens to your assets when you die. Having a Will allows you to take individual situations into consideration, such as how to deal with an estranged from a family member or having a beneficiary who has difficulty managing their funds.
There are other important documents in addition to a Will that you may need depending on your situation. Some of those include a Revocable Living Trust, Living Will, Medical Power of Attorney, Durable Power of Attorney, digital property rights, marital property rights, beneficiary designations and donor advised funds. Which of those you need will depend on your personal situation.
Keep in mind the rule of 18 when creating your legacy:
- 85% of inheritances, regardless of the amount, are spent within 18 months
- The majority of people who get an inheritance are in a new car showroom within 18 days
- Most people will be shopping within 18 hours of receiving their inheritance.
When you meet with a counselor from Gift Planning Services, they will help you identify your financial goals and values, then present you with several legacy gift planning diagrams to consider that reflect your personal and financial goals. You choose the plan that best represents your values and allows you to maximize your gifts to both charities and loves one.
Learn more at giftplanningservices.com
The virtual Queen of Hearts raffle was held again on Monday. Alan Anderson’s ticket was selected, and Laura Davis picked the three of spades from the deck on Alan’s behalf. Since the Queen of Hearts wasn’t selected, the money rolls over to next week. You can participate by emailing Laura at 
