Big Impact Comes in Small Percentages

A Little From Your Estate Goes a Long Way

“Give it your all.” You’ve probably heard that from a coach, mentor, or loved one sometime in your life. But when it comes to planning your estate, you don’t have to take an all-or-nothing approach. 

You may have many people and nonprofits like Vail Health Foundation that you love—and wonder how you can possibly take care of them all after you’re gone. Here’s the solution: Harness the power of percentages and divide your “estate pie” so everyone and everything you care about gets a slice. 

Here’s how: 

1. Take inventory of your estate. It’s likely larger than you think. Assets such as real estate, life insurance, and investment and retirement accounts can quickly add up. 
2. Determine which people and causes you’d like to benefit and in what percentages. You can provide for loved ones and still make a big difference to Vail Health Foundation with 10%, 5%, or even 1%. 
3. Create or update your will or update your beneficiaries to align with your percentages. Contact your estate planning attorney or use an online planning tool for your will. Adding or changing beneficiaries for accounts such as IRAs or life insurance is as simple as filling out a paper or online form. 

One more advantage of giving percentages of your estate: The dollar value of your gift adjusts in proportion to the size of your estate. No need to worry about whether a certain amount is “enough” as the economy goes up or down.  

Information contained herein was accurate at the time of printing. The information in this publication is not intended as legal or tax advice. For such advice, please consult an attorney or tax advisor. Figures cited in any examples are for illustrative purposes only. References to tax rates include federal taxes only and are subject to change. State law may further impact your individual results.