You don't have to be wealthy to make a difference. It is possible to have a lasting impact on the quality of life in your community - right here, right now, and for years to come. A personal financial plan is not complete until it includes charitable giving - not just an occasional donation to charity but a plan to 'share prosperity.'

You don't have to be wealthy to make a difference. It is possible to have a lasting impact on the quality of life in your community - right here, right now, and for years to come. A personal financial plan is not complete until it includes charitable giving - not just an occasional donation to charity but a plan to 'share prosperity.'

It is estimated that by the year 2050, a $687 billion transfer will be made through estates here in Wisconsin and less than 50% of those people will have a current, valid will. Only 6-10 percent of these estates will make a charitable bequest. If you have assets, a comprehensive, long-term estate plan is not optional -it's essential. As a member of the community it is important to realize that a planned giving program expands non-profit's revenue sources and increases endowments for the betterment of all community members.

There are so many benefits of planned giving, personal, financial, and spiritual benefits are only a few. Planning your gift and using a budget will give you help to determine how much you can afford to give and when you should give. Planning will save vast amounts of time in the long run and it can help focus your giving and make it more effective. Also, planning ahead will allow you to closely align your giving with your personal values. Tax benefits are maximized when you become a charitable giver. These tax benefits can actually reduce the cost of a donation. Charitable giving allows you to let the community know what you care about and what is important to you, through your support of those non-profit organizations. But more importantly donating to charity allows you to make a difference, not only in someone else's life, but also in your own.

Give close to your heart. Your giving will have more meaning for you, and your dedication to giving will be easier to maintain if you give to causes that matter most to you. Let your personal values lead your planning. Give close to your home. Your giving will have the most visible impact if you give close to home. There you are more likely to see directly the benefits of your gift, as well as the need for it. In your own hometown you are better able to investigate an organization, foundation, or volunteer to gain an insider's perspective on it. Still, there are times when what is 'close to your heart' is not 'close to your home' but far away - sometimes an ocean away. When you face this situation, it is most helpful to remind yourself why you are giving in the first place.

A new charity is registered, on average, every 20 minutes of the working day and in communities just like yours countless numbers are helped by charities. The point is to get involved. When you do that, the ripple effect goes on forever. It is important to truly listen to the needs of the community and give of yourself, others will follow, and it will continue for generations to come. The legacy that we leave behind is all about the people we leave behind. By our examples, we teach our future generations how to give and the benefits of giving. It is our responsibility to share what we have. We need to understand that in the world there is plenty for everyone, it is just that some of us have more than others. "We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give," Winston S. Churchill.

The Oshkosh Area Community Foundation can help you achieve your philanthropic goals, no matter your means. For more information please contact the Community Foundation at 920-426-3993 or visit us on the web at www.OshkoshAreaCF.org.

Helping you build the future of your community, For good For ever.