Giving Is a Gift

By Wylie and Janet Greig

Janet and I are grateful for all the good that has come our way, especially at pivotal times in our lives. We now look forward to "paying it forward" to help others. It's instinctive and natural — God's idea, man, reflecting divine Love. It ultimately blesses all mankind.

Arden Wood is high on our list of organizations to support. It exemplifies the highest standards of Christian Science care, and it has a long track record of promoting full, purposeful lives, spiritual growth, and "quick and whole healing." We want to help it remain active and available for future generations.

How can this be done in a material world full of uncertainties and competing priorities? We chose to engage an attorney who specializes in preparing estate plans. The resulting plan preserves the assets needed to support us during our lives and then guides their distribution to people and organizations we want to support after our passing. Expert help was critical in translating general ideas of what we hoped to accomplish into a tax-efficient, specific plan.

None of us knows how long we will live or what our assets will be worth at the time of our passing. To deal with these unknowns, our final giving to individuals and organizations is defined by percentages of the whole rather than by fixed dollar amounts. Janet and I have each determined how we would like to distribute an initial allocation of the total if we are the first to pass. The lion's share, however, is retained to care for the surviving spouse until that person passes. Our plan is flexible and adapts to whatever the future has in store.

Having an estate plan in place simplifies our lives and provides clarity to our children. It also helps ensure that Arden Wood will remain a gift to both present and future generations.

Create Your Plan For the Future

Like the Greigs, you can create a plan that provides for the people and causes that matter most to you. Contact John W. Mitchell at (415) 379-2200 or jmitchell@ardenwood.org to discuss how you can include a gift to Arden Wood in your will or other estate plan.