By MOAA Staff

(For details on planned giving options, please contact our Development office at foundation@moaa.org or call (800) 234-6622, ext. 169)

The mission of MOAA Charities is serving those who serve. You can help the MOAA Scholarship Fund and The MOAA Foundation fulfill this mission for generations of servicemembers to come by including a bequest — a gift in your will.

Over the past decade, the MOAA Scholarship Fund has averaged $5 million in bequests a year, allowing the fund to grow from $62 million in assets to $147 million. Because of this, the size and number of grants provided to students have dramatically increased, reducing the financial burden of student loans.
The MOAA Foundation also would benefit from this level of support; we could assist an ever-growing group of recipients through financial grants, webinars, financial benefits education, and more.

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MOAA Charities works with the General Counsel’s office and the Finance Department to ensure bequests are properly stewarded. For donors like Col.
Nanette Brédé Mueller, USA (Ret), this was important to her decision to set up a planned gift to the MOAA Scholarship Fund.

“[Bequests are] about investing in future generations and trusting MOAA to use that money wisely,” she said. “I know my gift will help military children receive a good education so they can go on to lead our nation.”

Why do people choose to include MOAA’s charities in their wills or trusts? For many, it is knowing we make good use of our charitable gifts. For example, Lt. Col. Donald Catron, USA (Ret), and his wife, Connie Catron, Legacy Circle members, support the Scholarship Fund because they know all the money raised supports the students.

If you are staying at home due to the COVID-19 pandemic, you may have found additional hours in your day. It may be the perfect time to review your estate planning documents. Nearly every law firm is able to work with you remotely, answering your questions and addressing your concerns through email and phone conversations.

[BEQUEST LANGUAGE: MOAA Foundation | Scholarship Fund] 

If you are concerned about how your assets will hold up during these turbulent times and want to provide for family, friends, and charities through planned gifts, it may be prudent to provide percentage-share gifts (i.e., 20% of the remainder to Beneficiary A; 12% to Beneficiary B, etc.) rather than set dollar amounts ($10,000 to Beneficiary A; $5,000 to Beneficiary B, etc.). This ensures your beneficiaries receive a gift but the value is dependent on available assets.

With social distancing, it is prudent to limit visits to banks and other financial institutions, but most donors can change the beneficiary designations on their IRAs, qualified pension plans, and life insurance policies from home. Many of these changes can be made online or by completing a standard form and sending it to the plan administrator. This is also true for naming a charity on a CD at your bank and for a number of other assets. Gifts from an IRA, 401(k), or 403(b) can make a great deal of sense to most donors, providing income reduction, tax deductions, and ease of transfer.