The Four Components of Legacy Planning.

“ We hope that our contribution to the Jewish Community will continue to inspire our children to practice Tzedakah and Gemilut Hasadim as our parents and grandparents demonstrated for us.”

The concept of planning your legacy may seem a daunting task. But here at the Jewish Community Foundation of El Paso, it can become meaningful, enjoyable and deeply fulfilling.  We simplify the process by breaking it down into four essential steps, which you can approach at your own pace.

PROMISE
You decide that you want to leave something to the Jewish community – in El Paso, Israel or elsewhere.  At this moment you may not yet know exactly how you will fund your legacy, or precisely which causes or organizations will be the beneficiaries. You can choose to make your promise public by signing the Endowment Book of Life

HONOR
You share your personal statement (always optional) about why you are creating a legacy plan or your hopes for the future.  In this statement you may speak of your grandparents, to your grandchildren, about the organizations that have benefited from your leadership or your hopes for the future.

FORMALIZE
Formalizing your plan makes your legacy a reality and assures that what you envision and promise will be fulfilled.  This is when you decide how you will fund your legacy – through bequest, insurance, a beneficiary designation of your IRA or other pension asset – and sign the documents. This officially establishes your legacy and fulfills your promise.

Then you can identify your preferred organizations and causes, allocate unrestricted funds and/or specify how you would like to involve your family in carrying out your legacy. This also involves signing documents that detail percentages, contingencies and cover the “what ifs” of your legacy plan. This completes the work of your heart and assures that your promise to the future is fulfilled as you wish.

FUND
Your ideal becomes reality because you have planned well.  Your funds come to the community – into a permanent endowment fund in your family name – for the causes and beneficiaries that you have designated.  You have kept your promise to the community that you love.  It will now be there, stronger, for those you leave behind.