Change a Child's Life. Create Your Legacy.

Making a Gift in Your Will or Trust

You can provide a long-term gift to the Wichita Children's Home in as little as one sentence in your will or living trust. This straightforward and widely chosen method of giving allows for altering your will should your life circumstances change. Adding WCH to your will, whether through a designated sum or a portion of your estate, is a gesture that costs nothing during your lifetime.  Furthermore, you can commemorate a loved one by dedicating a bequest to WCH in their honor or memory, celebrating a family member or someone impactful in your life.

A donation to the Wichita Children's Home in your will can be made using various assets such as cash, retirement accounts, life insurance policies, appreciated stocks, real property, and personal valuable items. If you wish to leave a legacy gift to the Wichita Children's Home through your will or trust, you can incorporate the following statement:

“I give to the Wichita Children’s Home, a nonprofit organization currently located at 7271 E. 37th St. N., Wichita, KS 67226, Federal Tax ID #48-0547706, _________________ [written amount or percentage of the estate or description of property] for its unrestricted use and purpose.”

An Example of How This Works

When Tom and Marcie had their first child, they created a will that included a $5,000 gift to the Wichita Children’s Home. As their family grew, they revised their gift to provide for their children’s future financial security. Tom and Marcie met with their attorney and edited the gift language so that WCH would receive a percentage of their estate instead of a specific amount. Tom and Marcie now rest easily, knowing that their plans will help their family and the charitable work they love. 

Giving Gifts of Life Insurance

If you find yourself with a life insurance policy that’s become unnecessary due to changes in your situation, consider donating it to the Wichita Children’s Home. Whether it’s a fully paid policy or one currently under premium payments, you can permanently designate WCH as both the owner and beneficiary. This approach is favored to provide a significant contribution at a relatively low expense. Moreover, if the policy is on your life and you retain ownership, it could lead to the policy’s death benefit being excluded from your estate for tax purposes at your passing.

An Example of How This Works

John had participated in several Wichita Children’s Home events throughout his life, but he became more aware of WCH’s services after his father passed away, and he and his daughters went through the Kidzcope program to heal. As his father had left him an inheritance, John chose to give WCH his life insurance policy to help continue the work that supported his family in their grief. John still makes the required premium payments on the policy, which, in turn, benefits him with additional tax deductions. He also feels comforted knowing that his gift to WCH assists children—like his daughters—to grieve and heal after the loss of a loved one.

Qualified Charitable Distribution from an IRA

If you are at least 70½ years old, giving directly from your IRA to a qualified charity like the Wichita Children’s Home allows you to make a difference today to an important cause and potentially save on taxes. The amount you choose to give (up to the lesser of $108,000 for 2025 or the amount of your required minimum distribution) will be used immediately at WCH, and you will pay zero income taxes on this kind of transfer.

An Example of How This Works

After a decade of volunteering with the Wichita Children’s Home following her retirement, Patricia, 74, decided to make a long-lasting financial contribution to support WCH children beyond her lifetime. Patricia gave WCH $70,000 by directing a qualified charitable distribution from her IRA to offset her required minimum distribution. The full amount was transferred to WCH because the gift is tax-free and was used immediately. Additionally, since the IRA transfer did not count as Patricia’s income, she did not have to pay income taxes on her gift.

Giving Appreciated Securities

Donating appreciated stocks, bonds, or mutual funds can yield a significant tax advantage while enabling you to contribute more substantially to the Wichita Children’s Home than might seem feasible. This kind of donation allows you to take a federal income tax deduction for the securities’ full, appreciated value (within certain limits) without incurring any capital gains tax on the transfer. Moreover, by offering gifts of appreciated securities, you’re investing in the immediate and future security, well-being, and success of the children and youth at WCH, either now or as a legacy. 

An Example of How This Works

Longtime supporters Will and Carol purchased mutual fund shares when their children were young and watched the value of the shares grow for decades. At this stage in their life, Will and Carol have been considering the organizations and charities that have been important in their life and their community. They gave Wichita Children’s Home several shares of their mutual funds. Will and Carol are delighted to give back to WCH and support a mission they love. They additionally benefit from this gift by receiving a charitable deduction worth the full value of the mutual fund shares given to WCH.

Naming the Wichita Children's Home as a Beneficiary

If you wish to support the Wichita Children’s Home at your passing while retaining ownership of assets like your life insurance policy, retirement plan, or appreciated stocks, designating WCH as a transfer-on-death or pay-on-death beneficiary of these accounts could be an attractive choice. Making WCH a beneficiary at your death guarantees that your donation is tax-exempt, ensuring WCH benefits from the full value you designate. This form of giving can be accomplished effortlessly in just three straightforward steps: 

• For a change-of-beneficiary form, contact your retirement plan administrator, life insurance company, bank, or financial institution. 
• Decide what percentage (1 to 100) you would like us to receive. On the beneficiary form, name WCH and the percentage you choose. 
• Return the completed form to your plan administrator, insurance company, bank, or financial institution.

An Example of How This Works

Over the years, Martin and Joann have been so happy to financially support WCH and their children. They recently revised their will to leave stocks and real estate to their children. They decided to name WCH as a beneficiary of their IRA, leaving a certain percentage so that approximately $25,000 would be transferred following their lifetimes. If Martin and Joann had left this portion of the IRA for their children, several thousand dollars would have gone to pay federal income taxes when their children took distributions from the IRA, but because WCH is tax-exempt, the entire $25,000 helps support the WCH’s mission.

Making a Gift through a Donor-Advised Fund

Giving through a donor-advised fund, like a charitable savings account, allows you to dictate the amount and frequency of distributions to the Wichita Children’s Home and other eligible charities. You can suggest a one-time donation to WCH or establish a recurring giving schedule (such as monthly, quarterly, every six months, or yearly) to support critical services for the children and youth at WCH. An initial contribution to a donor-advised fund grants you an immediate tax advantage, facilitating ongoing support to the charitable causes that matter most to you.

An Example of How This Works

A few years ago, Andrew and Clara set up a $35,000 donor-advised fund to give back to their hometown by putting their money where it does the most good. After thoughtful consideration, Andrew and Clara recommended annual grants for the Wichita Children’s Home and several other organizations. The selected charities receive a check each year from their donor-advised fund, and Andrew and Clara feel fulfilled and honored to live out their personal legacy of giving.

Memorial Gifts

The loss of a friend or loved one is always difficult, and we often seek ways to remember those we hold dear to our hearts. Contributing to a memorial fund is a special way to celebrate the life of someone you love. Your gift provides not only a thoughtful memorial, but helps change the lives of the children we serve. Contact us to learn more. 

Honor Gifts

Often, we wish to honor someone important in our life, or someone who has made a difference in the lives of others. An honor gift is a wonderful way to express your gratitude and to provide care for the many children who come through our doors each year. Contact us to learn more.

Endowment Fund

The Wichita Children's Home also benefits from an endowment fund that has estate gifts at its core.

The endowment committee, composed of trustees and non-trustees, meets quarterly to review the fund's activity. The Wichita Children's Home is committed to the continued growth of this fund, and may draw a 3% allocation annually, if needed, to support the Home's operations. Contact us to learn more.