Jenifer Hale Deming

JeniferJenifer Hale Deming's planned giving includes a major bequest to Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.

Her extravagant generosity comes on the heels of many gifts to the seminary—a pattern established while she was still an M.Div. student at the South Hamilton campus.

When she took a course that included a travel seminar to England, she discovered that a young man in the class could not afford to travel. So she started a Travel Seminar Fund.

When she and other members of the campus' Women's Resource Network observed the financial needs of non-M.Div. female students, they created the Doulas Fund to help support scholarships. Many recipients were women in the Master of Arts in Counseling program.

When the seminary introduced a Mission Loan Repayment program that assumes the educational loans of students called to the mission field, she also gave to that initiative. The program enables individuals to pursue their call immediately, rather than wait five to 10 years to pay back loans—a requirement of most mission agencies.

"Just being there and seeing the needs of these students led me to want to give back," she explains. "Here I was having just inherited a decent sum of money and there were people who found it hard to rub two nickels together."

After graduating in 2001, Jenifer pursued a chaplaincy residency at the Albany (New York) Medical Center, and now serves in an interim capacity at a men's medium security prison in the Adirondack Mountains. She preaches or participates in inmate-planned Sunday chapel services, and leads a Monday Bible study. She is also a volunteer chaplain for a local hospital and a nursing home.

In planning her future philanthropy, Jenifer determined that a bequest was the best option for her, in part because of present income needs and the tax advantages this type of donation offers.

And she chose Gordon-Conwell because, as she explains, "I felt that the seminary was doing work that I really, really valued. The fact that I was a student there and got so much out of it, I knew that what it is doing will be of lasting significance."

As an older student, Jenifer enjoyed living on campus, engaging with the professors, participating in a Friday night fellowship group in her dormitory, and enrolling in the meal plan so she could get acquainted with fellow students.

Today, she's still finding ways to help students with practical needs. In her home in the Adirondacks, the front section is somewhat independent of the rest of her house. So she lets Gordon-Conwell students use it for vacations.

A charitable bequest is one or two sentences in your will or living trust that leave to Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary a specific item, an amount of money, a gift contingent upon certain events or a percentage of your estate.

an individual or organization designated to receive benefits or funds under a will or other contract, such as an insurance policy, trust or retirement plan

"I, [name], of [city, state ZIP], give, devise and bequeath to Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary [written amount or percentage of the estate or description of property] for its unrestricted use and purpose."

able to be changed or cancelled

A revocable living trust is set up during your lifetime and can be revoked at any time before death. They allow assets held in the trust to pass directly to beneficiaries without probate court proceedings and can also reduce federal estate taxes.

cannot be changed or cancelled

tax on gifts generally paid by the person making the gift rather than the recipient

the original value of an asset, such as stock, before its appreciation or depreciation

the growth in value of an asset like stock or real estate since the original purchase

the price a willing buyer and willing seller can agree on

The person receiving the gift annuity payments.

the part of an estate left after debts, taxes and specific bequests have been paid

a written and properly witnessed legal change to a will

the person named in a will to manage the estate, collect the property, pay any debt, and distribute property according to the will

A donor advised fund is an account that you set up but which is managed by a nonprofit organization. You contribute to the account, which grows tax-free. You can recommend how much (and how often) you want to distribute money from that fund to Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary or other charities. You cannot direct the gifts.

An endowed gift can create a new endowment or add to an existing endowment. The principal of the endowment is invested and a portion of the principal’s earnings are used each year to support our mission.

Tax on the growth in value of an asset—such as real estate or stock—since its original purchase.

Securities, real estate or any other property having a fair market value greater than its original purchase price.

Real estate can be a personal residence, vacation home, timeshare property, farm, commercial property or undeveloped land.

A charitable remainder trust provides you or other named individuals income each year for life or a period not exceeding 20 years from assets you give to the trust you create.

You give assets to a trust that pays our organization set payments for a number of years, which you choose. The longer the length of time, the better the potential tax savings to you. When the term is up, the remaining trust assets go to you, your family or other beneficiaries you select. This is an excellent way to transfer property to family members at a minimal cost.

You fund this type of trust with cash or appreciated assets—and may qualify for a federal income tax charitable deduction when you itemize. You can also make additional gifts; each one also qualifies for a tax deduction. The trust pays you, each year, a variable amount based on a fixed percentage of the fair market value of the trust assets. When the trust terminates, the remaining principal goes to Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary as a lump sum.

You fund this trust with cash or appreciated assets—and may qualify for a federal income tax charitable deduction when you itemize. Each year the trust pays you or another named individual the same dollar amount you choose at the start. When the trust terminates, the remaining principal goes to Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary as a lump sum.

A beneficiary designation clearly identifies how specific assets will be distributed after your death.

A charitable gift annuity involves a simple contract between you and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary where you agree to make a gift to Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and we, in return, agree to pay you (and someone else, if you choose) a fixed amount each year for the rest of your life.
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