You can impact the future of Jewish life in Miami-Dade County by supporting the Michael-Ann Russell Jewish Community Center with a legacy gift in any amount. Creating your Jewish legacy https://legacy.jewishmiami.org/?pageID=1011 ensures that you will be remembered, and your Jewish values will continue beyond your lifetime.  It is also a meaningful way to honor the memory of a loved one while providing for a vibrant Jewish community for generations to come.

A Gift in Your Will

You can name the Michael-Ann Russell Jewish Community Center a beneficiary in your will or trust. The amount can be specified in dollars or a percentage of your estate. 

 Benefits:

• Effective planning tool to reduce estate taxes, if applicable
• It does not affect your current income or assets during your lifetime
• Easy to create and modify with the assistance of an attorney if your circumstances change

Sample Language to Share With Your Attorney:

 I give, devise, and bequeath the sum of $ ______________________ percentage, ___________%, or the remainder of my estate, to the Greater Miami Jewish Federation, Inc., Miami, Florida (Tax ID# 59-0624404), to support the Michael-Ann Russell Jewish Community Center. Suitable recognition shall follow the establishment of the fund.

Naming the Michael-Ann Russell JCC as a remainder beneficiary of all or part of your retirement plan is an easy and tax-effective way to support our work. If you are like most people, you probably will not use all your retirement assets during your lifetime. 

How It Works:

To make a gift of your unused retirement assets to fund your legacy commitment, you will need to complete a beneficiary designation form provided by your retirement plan custodian, which can also be found online. Your legacy commitment is complete once you fill out the form, return it to the appropriate financial institution or specific advisor, and provide a copy to the MARJCC.

Benefits:

• Your children avoid paying estate and income taxes on the assets left in your retirement account
• It does not affect your current income or assets during your lifetime
• Easy to create and modify using the beneficiary designation form
• Establishes your legacy separate from family money, will, or estate plan

If you are 70 ½ or older, you can also fund your legacy commitment by transferring up to $100,000 directly from your Individual Retirement Account each year to the Michael-Ann Russell JCC. This is a viable option for those who do not depend on this income and want to avoid paying additional income tax.

How It Works:

Contact your IRA plan administrator to make a gift from your IRA directly to the Federation by check, wire, or ACH. Your plan administrator can contact <insert contact info here> for transfer instructions when you’re ready.

Benefits:

• Your children avoid paying estate and income taxes on the assets left in your retirement account
• Avoid paying taxes as this Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) from your IRA is made directly to the MARJCC
• May satisfy your required minimum distribution (RMD) for the year
• Reduces your taxable income, even if you don’t itemize deductions
• Establishes your legacy separate from family money, will, or estate plan

Contact your IRA plan administrator to make a gift from your IRA directly to the Federation by check, wire, or ACH. Your plan administrator can contact Roxana Markus, Director of Development, at RoxanaM@marjcc.org or 305.932.4200 x189. here it needs to be my name and contact details for transfer instructions when you’re ready.

If you have a whole or universal life insurance policy that has outlasted its original purpose, you may want to consider naming the Michael-Ann Russell JCC as a remainder beneficiary of all or part of your life insurance policy. For example, you may have purchased a policy to provide for minor children who are now financially independent adults.

 How It Works:

Contact your life insurance provider, request a beneficiary designation form from the insurer, and include the MARJCC as the beneficiary of your policy. The form can also be found online. Your legacy commitment is complete once you fill out the form, return it to the appropriate insurance provider or specific advisor, and provide a copy to the MARJCC.

 Benefits:

• It does not affect your current income or assets during your lifetime
• Easy to create and modify using the beneficiary designation form
• Establishes your legacy separate from family money, will, or estate plan

Donating appreciated assets, including stocks, is an easy and tax-effective way for you to fund your legacy during your lifetime.

How It Works:

Contact your financial advisor to transfer appreciated stock directly to the MARJCC. For stock transfer instructions, your advisor can contact <insert contact info here>.

Benefits:

• Receive an immediate income tax deduction based on the fair market value of the securities
• Avoid paying capital gains tax on appreciated securities held for more than one year
• Establishes your legacy separate from family money, will, or an estate plan

A contribution to the MARJCC from your Donor-advised Fund is a simple and efficient way to strengthen our mission and community for generations to come. You can also name the MARJCC as a remainder beneficiary of your fund after your lifetime.

How It Works:

Make a grant recommendation to the Michael-Ann Russell JCC from your fund. To name the MARJCC as a remainder beneficiary of your fund, you will need to update your fund documents, held by the foundation or institution where your fund is housed.

Benefits:

• Easy way to direct charitable dollars to support the work that you care most about at the MARJCC
• Establishes your legacy separate from family money, will, or estate plan using funds that are already designated for a charitable purpose
• There are several easy and tax-smart ways to fund your Jewish legacy. Please consult with your legal and tax advisors to determine what would be best for you.

To find out more about how to Create a Jewish Legacy, please click here: https://legacy.jewishmiami.org/?pageID=1011 or contact Roxana Markus, Director of Development, at RoxanaM@marjcc.org or 305.932.4200 x189.