Jerry & Janet Stiefvater

From our earliest years we were taught that everything we have comes from God. As we began our estate planning, our first thought was that we should give a portion of our blessings back to God in thanksgiving for all He has bestowed on us throughout our lives. We discussed this with our four grown children. We were all in agreement we must give a portion back to God.

We have established a living trust and we have directed that the first 10% of our trust is to be given to the church. This gift is to be divided equally between our parish, Immaculate Conception, The Kitchen, Springfield Catholic High School, and the Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau. Making a bequest in our trust is a simple process and it gives us satisfaction to express in a small way our gratitude to God for all He has given us.

Larry & Nancy O'Reilly and Family

(click here for a larger photo)

Catholic schools have meant a great deal to our entire family. We wanted to do our part to ensure that Springfield Catholic Schools continue to impact students beyond our lifetime. We chose to establish a Charitable Remainder Trust because it enabled us to make a sizeable gift to Springfield Catholic Schools and have income coming in, too. The CRT provides us with a lifetime income, good tax advantages and most importantly, the satisfaction of knowing that, in the future, Catholic families will benefit from our scholarship fund.

Wanda Drury

I've always believed in the concept of stewardship -- that all we have comes from God and we should give a portion back to God in gratitude. I have chosen to use Life Insurance as one of my ways of giving to parishes and Catholic schools. You can purchase a life insurance policy and name your parish as the owner and beneficiary. Or you can give a paid-up policy that you no longer need as a significant gift to your parish. It's very rewarding to know that I can continue my financial support into the future.

Anna Glueck

My Catholic faith has been a blessing to me and it was another blessing to discover a way I can make a gift to my church while receiving income too. Through the Charitable Gift Annuity, I receive a fixed annual income, payable quarterly, for the rest of my life. I also receive a high interest rate, an income tax deduction and peace of mind. But for me, the most important benefit is knowing that I'll be helping two parishes that have meant a great deal to me.

Rev. Ralph J. Duffner

When I learned about Donor Advised Funds, I knew it was the right way for me to meet my philanthropic goals. With an initial gift, I established the Ralph J. Duffner Donor Advised Fund and received an immediate tax deduction. I can request specific grant distributions from my account to parishes, schools, diocesan ministries and other charities. I've found it to be convenient and flexible. I can change my beneficiaries each time if I wish; the account is managed by professional fund advisors; and the diocese takes care of all the record-keeping requirements. It's like having my own private foundation!