UNITED WAY OF CENTRAL IOWA BLOG

The simplicity and tax savings of a donor advised fund (DAF) is likely to attract you if you don’t already have one. A DAF is like a charitable investment account for the sole purpose of supporting charitable organizations you care about, like United Way, and are often used to make charitable donations as effective as possible when you give. One thing you may not have known if you have a DAF:  these same advantages continue when you designate the balance of a DAF to United Way of Central Iowa after your lifetime!

Designate United Way of Central Iowa as a Beneficiary
By naming United Way of Central Iowa as a beneficiary of your remaining funds, you can choose to have any or all the remaining DAF assets distributed to our organization after you pass.

If you choose to designate, please use the following legal name, and tax identification:
Legal Name: United Way of Central Iowa 
Tax ID: XX-XXXXXXX

Use your DAF to its fullest potential
•    Itemize your taxes to realize an income tax charitable deduction from DAF contributions.
•    Transfer complex assets, such as real estate or business interests, into your DAF account without incurring capital gains taxes. 
•    Designate your DAF as the beneficiary of your IRA or charitable remainder trust.
 
Extend Your Impact with United Way
Donor advised funds benefit communities for generations to come. If you would like to use yours to extend your impact at United Way of Central Iowa, please contact Chase Young, United Way of Central Iowa ELI Director, at 515-246-6504 or chase.young@unitedwaydm.org. 

Discover the benefits of beneficiary designations. A beneficiary doesn’t have to be a person − it can be an organization whose mission you want to continue long after your lifetime.

When you name United Way of Central Iowa as a beneficiary of your retirement plan assets, life insurance policy or donor advised fund, you can make a big impact on our future of fostering a thriving community by simply filling out a form.

When naming United Way of Central Iowa as a beneficiary, you can do so through many types of accounts including: 
•    Retirement plan assets. When left to loved ones, these assets are subject to income tax. When left to United Way of Central Iowa, they pass tax-free, allowing us to put 100 percent of your gift to work uniting the caring power of our community. 
•    Life insurance policy. Perhaps your children are now grown, and you have a life insurance policy you no longer need. Consider naming United Way as beneficiary. This gift allows you to make a substantial donation at a relatively low cost. 
•    Donor advised funds. If you have a donor advised fund, you can recommend grants to our organization during your lifetime and name us as the beneficiary to receive the balance of your account after your lifetime.

4 Steps to the Make the Gift of a Lifetime
1.    Contact your administrator to request a change-of-beneficiary form or download a copy from their website. 
2.    Fill out the form listing United Way of Central Iowa and the amount or percentage you’d like us to receive on the form. 
3.    Return the form to your administrator. (Be sure to keep a copy for yourself as well.) 
4.    Let us know about your gift! It would be our honor to thank you and welcome you into United Way of Central Iowa’s Legacy Circle.  

Tip: Beneficiary designations can be updated at any time to meet your changing needs. Make sure you review your beneficiaries regularly to ensure they go where you intend. 

Need help getting started? Follow the button below, or contact Chase Young, United Way of Central Iowa ELI Director, at 515-246-6504 or chase.young@unitedwaydm.org. Or, if you’ve already named United Way of Central Iowa as a beneficiary, please let us know.

Many of us devote our time, talents, and contributions to United Way of Central Iowa because every dollar matters in order to improve the lives of every central Iowan. Your generosity fuels the work United Way does every day to help make central Iowa UNITED to THRIVE.

United Way of Central Iowa released its 2023 Advocacy Agenda at their Advocacy Forum Breakfast held on Friday, December 16 for policy makers, government officials, and members of the community.

United Way of Central Iowa’s holiday wish: To share more about the tale of two holidays for the kids who live here. One where the season is full of joy and excitement – with fun traditions of playing games, eating warm healthy meals, unwrapping special gifts, and being surrounded by a loving family who read books with them. The other where sitting by a warm fire in a safe home with parents who are able to buy toys and books is only a dream.

United Way of Central Iowa and their partners help adult students achieve a high school equivalency diploma that leads to a sustainable career pathway and financial independence through Bridges to Success.

United Way of Central Iowa has been recognized as a 2022 Pacesetter for our UNITED to THRIVE strategic imperative.

United Way of Central Iowa announced on Thursday, October 6 that Tim and Jess McCulloh were selected as this year’s recipients of the prestigious Tocqueville Society Award.

More than 450 volunteers gave their time to 20 local nonprofit organizations on Tuesday, September 13, as part of United Way of Central Iowa’s annual Day of Action, the largest day of volunteer service in the region. 

Powered by Purpose, a United Way of Central Iowa community-based initiative, launched The Powered by Purpose Organizational Journey, a new online program helping businesses and nonprofits identify and more intentionally share their organization’s purpose.