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Good Counsel

Celebrating your past can include planning for your future

By Jeff Underwood
Associate Director, Office of Planned Giving

Reunions give us the chance to reconnect with old friends, see how the campus has changed over the years, and reflect on ways to create a lasting legacy at the university.

One way to do this is through a bequest or other planned gift to Stanford. In her story, Susan Harman, MBA ’79, describes the impact a Stanford education had on her life and how she was inspired to support the Stanford Graduate School of Business by designating the university as a beneficiary in her will.

There are several benefits to this type of planned gift:

  • It costs nothing now while providing for Stanford in the future.

  • You can designate your gift to one or more areas of Stanford that are meaningful to you.

  • The plan is flexible and can be changed over time.

  • You retain control of and use of your assets during your lifetime.

  • Gifts to Stanford from your estate are exempt from federal estate taxes.

If you are interested in learning more about bequests, charitable gift annuities, charitable remainder trusts, or other planned gifts at Stanford, please contact the Office of Planned Giving. Our staff can help designate a gift to best meet your charitable objectives, as well as your financial and tax goals. Note that during your reunion year, certain types of planned gifts can count toward your class total.