WNIJ 89.5 :: Serving Northern Illinois & Southern Wisconsin

Bequests

A bequest in a will is a convenient way to extend your support of Northern Public Radio. Since a bequest is a gift transferred after death, donors aren’t parting prematurely with money they may need for living expenses. Bequests are relatively simple to make and come in many forms, the most common being a percentage of one’s estate. This type of gift provides donors an opportunity to deepen their commitment to WNIJ-WNIU-NIRIS while passing on to loved ones the values that guided their lives.

Official bequest language includes, “I, [name], of [city, state, zip], give , devise, and bequeath to Northern Illinois University Foundation to benefit Northern Public Radio [written amount or percentage of estate or description of property] for [purpose].”

Life Income Gifts

Charitable Gift Annuities (CGAs) are agreements between donors and Northern Public Radio in which the donor transfers assets to the station (normally cash or appreciated securities) in exchange for fixed payments for life. Payment rates are based on a donor’s age. Rates start at 5.7% for someone age 65 and increase to as much as 10.5% for those 90+. Rates for joint CGAs (usually married couples) are slightly lower.

Charitable Remainder Trusts are created by estate planning attorneys and typically managed by banks or trust companies. Please consult your attorney to determine if a charitable trust is an appropriate option for you.

Life Insurance

There are two primary ways to make a gift of life insurance to Northern Public Radio. The most common is to name it a beneficiary of an existing policy. Another way to give life insurance is to make Northern Public Radio the irrevocable owner and beneficiary of the policy. By doing so, donors receive an income tax deduction equal to the cash value of the policy and for any premium payments made after assigning the policy to us.

IRAs

If you want to help further the mission of Northern Public Radio, another smart giving option is IRAs. A gift of an IRA can be beneficial because of the associated tax advantages. When children or loved ones are beneficiaries of IRAs, combined income and estate taxes could take as much as 70% or more of the plan’s value. Naming Northern Public Radio as beneficiary completely eliminates all taxes on the plan. Please contact us or your IRA administrator for information.

Endowing Your Gift

Any of the above gifts can be designated as endowments. If endowed, the principal of the gift can never be touched, only the earnings can be spent each year for certain purposes, programs, or campaigns.

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