Gift Planning: Leave Your Legacy.
While helping students begin theirs.

Your planned gift helps CSU fulfill its mission for generations to come.


Enjoy significant tax savings while transforming lives.


There are many ways to give: make a future gift through your estate or an immediate gift that provides income and countless other opportunities.

You may be looking for a way to make a significant gift to help further our mission. A bequest is a gift made through your will or trust. It is one of the most popular and flexible ways that you can support our cause.

Learn more

Find out What to Give and learn about the best assets to make a planned gift. Learn about gifts of cash, securities and property. Learn How to Give and discover gift options that provide tax and income benefits. Discover the best planned gift to meet your goals.

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A Bequest to Save Taxes

A Bequest to Save Taxes
Thomas was a widower who had a great love for our organization. As an individual who had directly benefited from our work, Thomas wanted to thank us with a gift from his estate.

Thomas told his attorney that he wished to leave a bequest to us as part of his estate plan. Thomas's estate included some stocks, real estate and an IRA. Thomas's attorney recommended that he give the appreciated stock and real estate to his children and leave his IRA to charity.

Thomas: My attorney told me that if I gave the stock and real estate to my children, these assets would receive a step up in basis at my death. My children could then sell them without paying tax. However, if I gave my children my IRA, the IRA would be subject to estate and income tax. After paying all of these taxes, very little would be left for my family. By giving the IRA to this organization, I could make a nice gift and avoid any additional tax for my estate and children.

Thomas contacted his IRA custodian to obtain a beneficiary designation form. He filled out the form and designated our organization as the 100% recipient of his IRA account. Thomas's attorney then specified in Thomas's will the bequest of his other assets to his children.

Thomas: I was so impressed with my attorney's advice that I named him executor of my will!

Thomas called and notified us of his bequest. He was pleased that because our organization was a tax exempt institution, it would receive the full amount of the IRA value when he passed away, creating a legacy for the future.

Is a bequest right for you?


It is easy and convenient to include a bequest in your will or living trust. This link includes sample bequest language that can very easily be included in your will.

You might find it helpful to print this page and the bequest language to give this information to your attorney. If you or your attorney have any questions, please contact us.

*Please note: The name and image above are representative of a typical donor and may or may not be an actual donor to our organization. Since your benefits may be different, you may want to click here to view a color example of your benefits.


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