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Planned Giving & Trust Services
"The Earth is the Lord's, and all its fullness,
the world and those who dwell within."
Psalm 24:1 NKJV
The prophet Isaiah warned Hezekiah, "Thus saith the Lord, Set thine house in order . . ." As stewards of God's creation every Christian is to be prepared for the day when God's gifts and responsibilities will be passed on to others. To this end, a Christian Estate Plan is the final step in total Christian stewardship.
Our Trust Services Program
Our Trust Services Dept. provides comprehensive estate planning assistance for Illinois Conference members and their families. Our confidential service includes the preparation of Wills, Living Trusts, Charitable Trusts, Gift Annuities, Powers of Attorney, and Living Wills (Medical). For most documents, this service is provided at no cost. And there are no bequest requirements for the preparation of most Wills, Powers of Attorney, or Living Wills.
To insure that you receive quality service, the General Conference has established a certification and accreditation program with standards and policies that govern the operation of all Adventist Trust Services departments. All Trust Services personnel must pass a college-level estate planning course in order to become certified by the General Conference, and all legal documents--Wills, Trusts, etc. must be prepared by an estate planning attorney.
To insure adherence to these requirements, the General Conference Auditing Service (GCAS) annually reviews the operation and files of all Trust Services departments. Only those programs that meet these high standards are awarded GC accreditation. The Illinois Conference has been accredited by the General Conference since 1996, and has more recently been awarded Level "A" accreditation, the highest rating.
Christian Estate Planning
A Christian Estate Plan can serve several important purposes:
1) Insure that your wishes, not the State of Illinois', determine the distribution of your assets
2) Lessen the burden on your family by simplifying their responsibilities when you are gone
3) Name a guardian and establish a financial plan for the care of minor or special needs children
The heart of a Christian Estate Plan is a Last Will & Testament or a Living Revocable Trust, either of which may be used to distribute your assets when you are laid to rest. Whether a Will or a Trust will best meet your needs and desires generally depends on the value and type of asset you own, how those assets are titled, and you and your family's present and long-term needs and desires.
To protect you and your family should you ever become incapacitated, it is also beneficial to have a Durable Power of Attorney for Property to authorize someone to conduct your business, and a Power of Attorney for Healthcare to authorize someone to consult with your physician and make medical decisions for you. These documents can also be provided through our Trust Services Dept.
Whatever your desires or the needs of your family, a Christian Estate Plan will provide peace of mind and serve as a witness to all of your gratitude to God for His blessings, and your faith in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.
(Note: Please be aware that without a valid Will or Trust, God's work will receive nothing from your estate.)
Tax Planning for Large Estates
Generally, if the value of your estate is likely to exceed $3.5 million (2009 federal estate tax threshold), then you will want to obtain professional tax planning assistance to minimize your tax liability in order to maximize the benefits to those who will share your estate. For some, such tax planning may include charitable gifts made through a Charitable Trust or a Gift Annuity, either of which can be established with our Trust Services Dept.
Preparing Your Estate Plan
To insure that your estate plan meets your needs and desires, prior to the preparation of any documents you will want to gather some personal information and make several important decisions.
Follow these simple steps:
1) Make a list of your assets--accounts, real property, etc--their current value, and how each is titled.
2) Make a list of family, friends, and organizations you wish to receive shares of your estate
3) Select an Executor of your Will, or a Trustee of your Trust, to follow the instructions in your document.
4) Select a person to be authorized in a POA to conduct your business if you should become incapacitated.
If you have minor or special needs children you will also want to:
5) Select a Guardian to raise your children
6) Select a Trustee to manage your children's inheritance
(Note: The Guardian and Trustee for your children may be the same person. You will also want to select an alternate for each nominee--Executor, Trustee, POA, Guardian.)
With this information in hand you are ready to consult with an estate planning attorney, or our Certified Trust Officer.
Click here for more information about our Christian Estate Planning services.
If you have any questions, or wish to make an appointment with a Trust Officer, please do not hesitate to call at (630) 856-2872, or e-mail us by clicking on a photograph below. We look forward to serving you.
Paul Saint-Villiers, Director
Certified Trust Officer
Planned Giving & Trust Services
Illinois Conference of Seventh-day Adventists
619 Plainfield Road, Suite 200
Willowbrook, IL 60527
(630) 856-2870
Elizabeth DeLeon, Assn. Treasurer
Certified Trust Accountant
Planned Giving & Trust Services
Illinois Association of Seventh-day Adventists
619 Plainfield Road, Suite 200
Willowbrook, IL 60527
(630) 856-2860
Barbara Keene, Office Secretary
Certified Trust Officer
Planned Giving & Trust Services
Illinois Conference of Seventh-day Adventists
619 Plainfield Road, Suite 200
Willowbrook, IL 60527
(630) 856-2872
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