Estate Planning Beyond a Will
October 19-23, 2026, is National Estate Planning Awareness Week.
National Estate Planning Awareness Week is an annual reminder that an estate plan can do more than provide for the people you love. It can also support the organizations and causes that are meaningful to you.
Create a Legacy through Your Will
Did you know that you can establish a fund, or add to a fund, through your estate? By adding simple charitable language in your will, you can direct an amount or portion of your estate to be invested in your fund at the Topeka Community Foundation. And your charitable plans can be changed during your lifetime as your circumstances and charitable interests evolve.
The Topeka Community Foundation works with donors and their estate planning attorneys to ensure their legacy plans are honored.
Naming Beneficiaries
Different types of assets have different tax advantages – or disadvantages – for the designated beneficiaries. Retirement accounts, such as Traditional IRAs and 401(d)s, can be particularly useful in charitable estate planning because distributions may be subject to income tax. However, a tax-exempt organization like the Topeka Community Foundation does not pay income taxes.
For some donors, it can make sense to designate a charity or their Donor Advised Fund as the beneficiary of an account such as an IRA, and leave other assets to family members.
Unrestricted Giving
Perhaps you know you want to leave a gift that benefits the Topeka community, but you’re not sure which needs will be most pressing decades from now. Unrestricted giving to the Topeka Community Foundation capitalizes on the Foundation’s expertise. An unrestricted gift is an investment in flexibility, ensuring there will be resources tomorrow for challenges we can’t even imagine today. The Foundation uses unrestricted resources to address current community needs and invest in the work of local nonprofit organizations that are collaborating with others to make long-term, transformative change.
Ready to learn more about charitable estate planning? Contact us today.