Planned Giving for Churches
How your members can leave a lasting gift — and how we can help.
Planned giving allows church members to include their congregation in their estate plan — through a will, a trust, or a simple beneficiary designation. It costs nothing during the member's lifetime, and these gifts are often among the largest donations a church will ever receive. Most families just don't know how easy it is.
What Is Planned Giving?
Planned giving is the practice of arranging a charitable gift that takes effect as part of your overall estate plan — typically at death, but sometimes during your lifetime through tax-advantaged vehicles. Unlike a weekly tithe or a one-time donation, a planned gift comes from the assets a person has accumulated over a lifetime: their home, their retirement accounts, their savings, their life insurance.
For churches, planned giving is transformative. A single bequest from one family can fund a building project, endow a ministry, or sustain operations for years. And these gifts come from everyday members — not just the wealthy. A retired teacher who names the church as a 10% beneficiary on her IRA. A couple who leaves a modest bequest to the building fund. A widow who directs her life insurance proceeds to the mission fund. These are acts of stewardship that extend a member's generosity beyond their lifetime.
How Members Can Give
There are several simple ways to include a church in an estate plan. None of them cost the member anything during their lifetime, and most can be set up in a single meeting with an attorney.
Bequest in a Will or Trust
The most common method. A member adds a provision to their will or trust directing a specific dollar amount, a percentage of their estate, or a particular asset to the church. A single sentence is all it takes. The member retains full control of everything during their lifetime — the gift only takes effect after they pass.
Beneficiary Designation
A member names the church as a beneficiary (or partial beneficiary) on a retirement account (IRA, 401(k)), life insurance policy, or bank account. This is often the most tax-efficient method — retirement accounts left to a church avoid both income tax and Pennsylvania inheritance tax, while the same account left to a family member would be subject to both. The member fills out a form with the account holder; no changes to their will are needed.
Charitable Remainder Trust
A more sophisticated vehicle for members with larger estates. The member places assets in a trust that pays them income during their lifetime, with the remainder going to the church at death. This can provide a current income tax deduction, avoid capital gains on appreciated assets, and ensure a meaningful gift to the church. Our attorneys can explain when this makes sense and when simpler options are better.
Real Property
A member can leave real estate to the church through their will or trust. This requires careful planning — the church needs to be prepared to receive, manage, or sell the property — but for the right situation, it can be a substantial gift.
Stewardship and Estate Planning
Scripture calls us to be faithful stewards of what God has entrusted to us. For many families, an estate plan is the single most important stewardship decision they will ever make. It determines who cares for their children, who manages what they have built, and whether the ministries and causes closest to their hearts will continue to be supported after they are gone.
An estate plan that includes the church is not just a financial decision — it is an expression of faith. It says: the work this congregation does matters, and I want it to continue. When families understand how simple it is to include their church, many are eager to do so. They just need someone to show them how.
For Church Leaders: Free Estate Planning Seminar
We offer a free, no-obligation estate planning seminar for churches and faith communities in Western Pennsylvania. The seminar is approximately 60 minutes and is designed to educate — not sell.
What We Cover
The seminar walks members through the essentials of estate planning under Pennsylvania law, with a dedicated section on planned giving:
Why most Pennsylvania families need a will — and why many do not need a trust
Powers of attorney and healthcare directives — who makes decisions if you cannot
What actually happens during probate (it is simpler than most people think)
Pennsylvania inheritance tax rates and basic strategies to reduce the burden
The difference between a legitimate estate plan and what "trust mill" seminar companies sell
How to include your church in your will, trust, or beneficiary designations
The tax advantages of charitable giving through retirement accounts
What This Is Not
You may have seen companies that host estate planning "seminars" as a front for selling expensive trust packages. Families are brought in with a free dinner, subjected to a fear-based presentation about probate, and pressured into signing up for $5,000–$8,000 trust packages before they leave. That is not what we do. Our seminar is education — no products for sale, no pressure, no cost to the church or its members. If attendees want to meet with our office afterward, they are welcome to schedule a free consultation, but that is entirely their choice.
Scheduling a Seminar
We are flexible and happy to present during a Sunday school hour, midweek Bible study, fellowship dinner, women's or men's group meeting, or any other format that works for your community. We serve churches throughout Westmoreland, Allegheny, Washington, Butler, Fayette, and Indiana Counties.
Interested in Hosting a Seminar?
We would welcome the opportunity to serve your congregation. Contact us to discuss scheduling and format.
For Church Members: How to Include Your Church in Your Estate Plan
If you attended one of our seminars — or if you are reading this because you want to leave a gift to your church — here is what to do next.
If You Don't Have an Estate Plan Yet
This is the perfect time to create one. When you meet with an estate planning attorney, simply let them know you want to include your church. They will draft the appropriate language in your will or trust. You will need your church's legal name and address (your church office can provide this), and you will want to decide whether to leave a specific dollar amount, a percentage of your estate, or a particular asset.
If You Already Have a Will or Trust
Your attorney can add a provision for the church through a codicil (for a will) or an amendment (for a trust). This is typically a straightforward update that can be done in a single appointment.
If You Want to Use a Beneficiary Designation
You do not need an attorney for this — contact your IRA custodian, 401(k) administrator, or life insurance company and ask to update your beneficiary designation. You can name the church as a primary or contingent beneficiary for any percentage you choose. This is one of the most tax-efficient ways to give, because retirement account distributions to a charity are not subject to income tax or Pennsylvania inheritance tax.
Information Your Attorney or Financial Institution Will Need
The church's full legal name (as registered with the IRS)
The church's mailing address
The church's EIN / tax identification number (your church office has this)
What you want to give: a dollar amount, a percentage, or a specific asset
Ready to Include Your Church in Your Estate Plan?
We offer free 15-minute consultations. We'll help you understand your options and walk you through the process.
Why Ament Law Group?
Our firm handles estate planning, probate, real estate, and business law under one roof — which means we see how these areas connect in ways other firms often miss. When a family wants to include their church in their estate plan, we make sure the gift works properly alongside their other planning goals: protecting a surviving spouse, providing for children, minimizing taxes, and avoiding probate complications.
We use transparent billing, fees agreed up front for estate planning, so families know the cost upfront. No hourly billing surprises. And we are located right here in Murrysville, serving families and churches throughout Western Pennsylvania.
This page is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or tax advice. Consult a licensed attorney or tax advisor for guidance specific to your situation.