For Planned Giving to Northwest Catholic High School
You can make a BIG difference, helping to ensure a successful future for our students. The 1961 Society | Planned Giving
The 1961 Societ y During Northwest Catholic’s first 50 years, generous contributions by thousands of donors have helped to provide financial aid to deserving students, to invest in capital improvements to the school’s facilities, and to create many endowed scholarships and a general endowment fund. In order to ensure that Northwest Catholic continues to grow and thrive as a Catholic college preparatory school and a National School of Excellence, the continued financial support of alumni, parents, and friends will be essential. Planned giving often provides an opportunity for supporters to make a substantial gift to Northwest Catholic, more than they may be able to give during their lives. By prudent planned giving, a meaningful gift may be made without effecting other charitable gifts or bequests to loved ones. Additionally, some gifts may be structured to provide a guaranteed income to the donor for life. Leaving a small percentage of an estate to Northwest Catholic can make a BIG difference in the lives of our students. All individuals who commit to a gift by planned giving are welcomed as members of The 1961 Society. We gratefully welcome new members. This publication is intended to acquaint you with several of the more common vehicles of estate planning. It is our hope that this information will allow alumni, parents, and friends of our school to consider planned giving to support the long range financial viability of Northwest Catholic. Please read the five testimonials from members of The 1961 Society who share their motives for supporting Northwest Catholic in their estate plans and consider joining them. A bequest of any amount to Northwest Catholic will make a significant impact on our mission to educate exceptional young men and women in the Catholic tradition!
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“Meeting the first recipient of that scholarship confirmed that I had made a great decision.� The 1961 Society | Planned Giving
Tim Bourret ‘73
“My decision to include The 1961 Society as part of my estate planning was validated following the passing of my mother and father within the last few years.” When Tim Bourret’s mother, Irene Dower Bourret, passed away in June of 2011, his father, Charles Bourret, wanted to do something significant to remember her by and accomplished that by establishing a scholarship in her name at Northwest Catholic. Charles felt it was a school that helped prepare young men and women not only for college, but also for life after college. He saw that firsthand when he met Northwest Catholic students during his work as a representative of the University of Notre Dame at college nights throughout Connecticut. When Charles passed away in March of 2013, he made the Irene Dower Bourret Memorial Scholarship (since renamed the Bourret Family Scholarship) one of the beneficiaries of his estate. Tim said that his father’s decision reaffirmed his own decision. “Meeting the first recipient of that scholarship in the summer of 2013 confirmed that I had made a great decision in making The 1961 Society a beneficiary of part of my estate.”
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“A strong moral foundation that will benefit and enhance the communities where they live, work, pray, and play.� The 1961 Society | Planned Giving
Jean Lam,
Friend of Northwest Catholic “I have made a provision in my will to benefit Northwest Catholic as a way of giving back and helping to strengthen Catholic education.” Jean Lam of West Hartford is a graduate of both elementary and secondary Catholic schools. A native of New Britain, she attended St. Joseph Elementary School and St. Thomas Aquinas High School. While St. Thomas Aquinas closed many years ago, St. Joseph’s School survives as part of Pope John Paul II School in New Britain. Jean loved those formative years of her education during which she developed her strong faith. Following high school, Jean received a teaching degree from the State University of New York in Cortland. Her career took a different path, however, and she has worked for Travelers for many years. A close friend of several Northwest Catholic families, Jean has been a longtime supporter and a regular attendee of Saturday Night Live. Jean’s generosity to Catholic education, and Northwest Catholic in particular, is seen in her annual support of the Matthew 25 Scholarship program, which provides financial assistance to deserving students throughout their four years at Northwest Catholic. Jean’s generous support will last well into the future due to the provision in her estate plans of a will bequest to benefit our school. “Northwest Catholic provides every student not only with an exceptional education, but also with a strong moral foundation that will benefit and enhance the communities where they live, work, pray, and play. Everyone wins!”
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“We want our passion for education to be seen and applied after we are gone.�
The 1961 Society | Planned Giving
Frank ’65 and Susan Genovese
“We want our passion for education to be seen and applied after we are gone.” Frank Genovese was a member of Northwest Catholic’s first graduating class. After Northwest Catholic, he attended UCONN, enlisting in the U. S. Marines Corps after his first year. Returning to UCONN, he completed his undergraduate studies and met his wife Susan, a graduate of Randolph College in Lynchburg, VA. Susan, an actuary, is also a strong education advocate and has served on the Board of Trustees at Randolph College. Frank and Susan are parents of three sons. After UCONN, Frank obtained his MBA from the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia, and pursued a career purchasing, improving, and selling businesses. For many years he taught a very popular and intense course at Darden: “Acquisitions of Closely Held Enterprises.” In addition, Frank has established several Darden Fellowships with generous gifts to provide continuing financial aid. Before becoming members of The 1961 Society, Frank and Susan previously made substantial gifts to two capital campaigns at Northwest Catholic. “In estate planning, our desire is to distribute our lifetime assets to a number of effective charities rather than to the government in the form of taxes.”
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“I hope my example will be followed by many, as our school remains strong and vibrant today.� The 1961 Society | Planned Giving
Bill Murphy ‘67 “Supporting the future financial strength of Northwest Catholic High School has always been important to me. Including Northwest Catholic in my estate plans enables me to say thank you for an excellent preparation for college.” Having spent a career in the financial services industry, Bill hopes that alumni and other friends of Northwest Catholic can provide a significant estate gift without adversely impacting plans for family and other charities. He seized upon an exceptional offer by his employer a number of years ago, which provided the joint funding of a “second to die” life insurance policy. With his employer’s cash payment and his match of the same amount, he and his employer have been able to jointly fund a substantial gift. Following the passing of both Bill and his wife, the proceeds will be equally shared between Northwest Catholic High School and Georgetown University. “I hope my example will be followed by many, as our school remains strong and vibrant today.”
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“Help assure that Northwest Catholic will continue to prosper in the future.�
The 1961 Society | Planned Giving
Colby and Anit a Thresher, Alumni Parents
“Our children received the benefit of a strong academic and faith foundation at Northwest Catholic, which has been central to their lives. We hope to help perpetuate similar opportunities for others.” Colby and Anita Thresher of Simsbury are parents of four Northwest Catholic graduates, (Renee ’82, Scott ’86, Michelle ’88 and Byron ’94). Longtime financial supporters of the school, the couple has also made a will bequest that will benefit Northwest Catholic. Anita is a graduate of Catholic schools and Spring Hill College – “The Jesuit College of the South.” She has drawn great strength during her life from those formative years and has greatly enjoyed her many years of volunteer work on behalf of Northwest Catholic and other Catholic organizations. Colby, a Bowdoin College graduate, has been active in fundraising for Northwest Catholic as a parent and as a part-time consultant for many years in the Advancement Office. “Making a will provision to benefit Northwest Catholic is a natural extension of our more than 35 year association with the school and a way to help assure that Northwest Catholic will continue to prosper in the future.”
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THE 1961 SOCIETY Ways to consider a planned gift
Retirement and Investment Accounts You may name Northwest Catholic as a charitable beneficiary in an amount or a percentage of your choice from your 401(k), IRA, 403(b) or other qualified retirement plan. Through this vehicle, Northwest Catholic may receive a current gift (when allowed by tax law), or a deferred gift when you are eligible to receive retirement benefits. Naming Northwest Catholic as a beneficiary of a retirement or investment account is a unique way to shelter those payments from income taxation as well as estate taxation. It also may assist in allowing you to pass other (income tax free) assets to your loved ones.
Life Insurance Policy Northwest Catholic may be named as beneficiary of a new or existing life insurance policy. Where Northwest Catholic is named beneficiary and owner, the death benefit may be entirely excluded from your estate for tax purposes. A life insurance policy represents an effective way to make a significant gift to Northwest Catholic through a modest outlay of cash with your tax deductible premiums.
Bequest by Will When using a bequest in your will, you may designate a fixed percentage, or specific dollar amount for the benefit of Northwest Catholic at your death, or after both you and your spouse’s deaths. You can also designate this bequest for a specific purpose.
Charitable Gift Annuity* For a minimum gift of $10,000, you may contribute cash or marketable securities in exchange for a promise to pay you, or you and your spouse, a fixed income for life. Upon your death, Northwest Catholic receives the annuity’s remaining principal. In addition to income for life, there are potential income tax deductions for a donor upon establishing a Charitable Gift Annuity. *Charitable Gift Annuities are administered by the Archdiocese of Hartford for Northwest Catholic High School. After life payments end, Northwest receives 90% and the Archdiocese 10% of remaining funds.
The 1961 Society | Planned Giving
Charitable Remainder Trust For a minimum of $100,000, you may transfer assets of cash, marketable securities, or real estate into a separate trust. The trust makes payments to you, your spouse, or another person of your choosing for life or another specified period of time. Payments may be made to you based upon a percentage of the trust assets or a predetermined fixed rate. Northwest Catholic is the charitable recipient of the trust upon your death. There are income tax deductions and estate tax
deductions which are available to the donor who establishes a Charitable Remainder Trust. Through this brief outline of some planned giving vehicles, we hope you will consider significant support for Northwest Catholic’s enduring future. Since each individual’s financial, legal, and tax situation is unique, this information is not intended as legal, financial, or tax advice. We urge you to seek advice from your professionals in those fields.
Contact Us We would be pleased to begin discussion of possible planned giving support vehicles for your consideration. Please contact either of us at your convenience: • David Eustis, President and Chief Administrator at 860-236-4221, ext. 145 or DEustis@nwcath.org • Patricia Walsh, Director of Advancement at 860-236-4221, ext. 138 or PWalsh@nwcath.org
Northwest Catholic High School is deeply grateful to Atty. John F. Kearns, III '75 for his professional expertise and guidance in the preparation of these materials.
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For Planned Giving Northwest Catholic High School 29 Wampanoag Drive • West Hartford, CT 06117 www.NorthwestCatholic.org