In 1875, St. Arnold Janssen founded the Society of the Divine Word to make Jesus known to every person in every nation, to reach out to the most neglected areas around the world, and to share the Gospel through a life of missionary service.
The 1875 Legacy Society was established to carry on the legacy of St. Arnold. The members are a special group who have demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to Divine Word Missionaries’ future through their bequest, trust or other planned giving arrangements. Thanks to these gifts, the Catholic faith will flourish in the most remote communities in the far corners of the world. Many of Divine Word Missionaries’ most beneficial programs have succeeded through the foresight and generosity of those faithful benefactors who remembered Divine Word Missionaries in their estate plans.
If you have already included Divine Word Missionaries in your estate plans, please let us know. Email us at legacy@svdmissions.org. We would like to thank you and welcome you into this special group.
Bequest in Your Will
A charitable bequest is one of the easiest ways you can leave a lasting impact on our missionary work around the world. With the help of an attorney, you can include language in your Will or trust specifying that a gift be made to Divine Word Missionaries as part of your estate plan.
“I give and bequeath to Divine Word Missionaries, a not-for-profit corporation, with principal offices at 1835 Waukegan Road, Techny, Illinois 60082-6099, the sum of ___________ (insert either a specific dollar amount or a percentage of your estate) for the accomplishment of its general purpose [or for a specific purpose as indicated].” Tax Identification Number: 36-2379644
Retirement Assets
An alternative to a bequest is to designate Divine Word Missionaries as the beneficiary of your retirement assets. The gift is simple because you can control the transfer of these assets without changing your will or trust. All you have to do is request a new beneficiary designation from your plan administrator.
Life Insurance
Life insurance provides the opportunity for a donor to make a sizeable charitable gift with modest out-of-pocket costs. Ask your insurance company for a form that will allow you to make Divine Word Missionaries a beneficiary of your insurance policy. Using the beneficiary form, you can designate that Divine Word Missionaries receives all or a portion of the death benefit associated with your life insurance policy. A simple change to the beneficiary of your life insurance policy can make a significant impact on our missions around the world.
Donor Advised Funds
A donor-advised fund, or DAF, is a flexible and efficient way to organize your charitable giving. You can recommend grants to Divine Word Missionaries during your lifetime and/or name Divine Word Missionaries as a beneficiary of your DAF. Using a beneficiary form from your fund holder, you can designate that Divine Word Missionaries receives all or a portion of your DAF. A simple change to your DAF can help our missionaries share God’s love around the world.
Stocks and Bonds
Donating appreciated securities, such as stocks or bonds, is an easy and tax-efficient way for you to make a gift to Divine Word Missionaries. Gifts of appreciated securities are tax deductible at full market value on the date of transfer to Divine Word Missionaries and you can potentially save income tax and capital gains tax on the appreciation. While you enjoy these benefits, we will be able to expand our impact.
Real Estate
Whether you have had the asset for over a year or for generations, a gift of real estate can greatly benefit generations to come. Donating appreciated real estate—such as a home, vacation property, commercial property or farmland—can make a meaningful gift to Divine Word Missionaries. Your property can be donated by signing a deed that transfers ownership.
1875 Legacy Society Member Benefits
Special Members Mass
Quarterly Mission Updates
Special communication from our Mission Director
Inclusion in the daily prayers of our Missionaries
Invitation to Events
Recognition in our 1875 Legacy Society Honor Roll
(unless you choose to remain anonymous)
Need more information?
1-800-275-0626
info@svdmissions.org
The material presented on this website is intended as general educational information on the topics discussed herein and should not be interpreted as legal, financial or tax advice. Please seek the specific advice of your tax advisor, attorney or financial planner to discuss the application of these topics to your individual situation.
"Whoever cares for the poor lends to the Lord,
who will pay back the sum in full."
Proverbs 19:17