Dear Helen:
I’m in my 70s and reasonably well off. I don’t have family whom I feel a need to subsidize with my assets after my demise. I’m not a grinch, but the mishpoche are well enough. I’ve begun thinking about death more lately, after a brush with cancer. I am in remission and according to my doctor I could have a long life. But I could also die a lot sooner, and all the money I have saved could be doing the needy some good. I want to put my money where my mouth and votes have been going for the last 50 years. I know that once I raise this issue with everyone from my synagogue to nonprofits, I will have to fend off the planned giving managers. Do you have any pointers about how to open the door without inviting a stampede?
Future Donor
Dear Donor:
This is a great time to talk to your attorney. That’s the only way your wishes can be legally protected. You can call, ask, get information and indicate your wishes. But a legal document is your best protection that they’ll be observed. Even then, unless someone cares enough to monitor and enforce, you have to assume you’re giving a gift to an organization you trust. Choosing wisely is an important first step. In a preliminary call to every group you’d consider giving money to, ask for a meeting with a planned giving rep. Ask what minimum makes it worth their time to talk to you regarding possible conditions attached to bequests. Explain you’re thinking of a donation in the $10- 50K range. (I just made up those numbers; adjust as needed.) Say you have specific opinions about uses – e.g., direct assistance to those in need, a library fund, social justice policy, whatever matters to you. Explain you still need your money now, but that you’re happy to share once you’re gone. Ask what guarantees they will give that your wishes will be honored and a bequest will not disappear into a general use fund. Ask if they have specific language for you to put into your will. Then narrow the targets to make the money used most effectively. Kudos to you for putting your assets where your heart is.
Dear Helen:
I just volunteered to edit my neighborhood association’s quarterly newsletter. I’ve recently retired and have more time, so thought this might be fun. Wrong! Chasing after people to give information or to write the articles they promised to do is worse than getting paid employees to do their jobs. Everyone gives me their articles late, incomplete, misspelled, with bad grammar and assumes I’ll make them look perfect by the city’s deadline to print and mail. I want to flee. When I asked the former “editor” how she coped, she laughed and said, “Good luck. Buy yourself a bottle of something strong!”
Drowning
Dear Drowning:
Volunteerism has its own unique rewards and curses. You seem to be drowning in the latter. Below are some tips, but the biggest one is this: clear your calendar for the day (or two) before your deadline. No matter what, you’ll end up doing more editing, tracking and cursing than you want.
Create a template that includes all the repetitive things: names/contact emails/phone numbers for all relevant folks, from the association board to the public works, police and fire stations, pet patrol, etc. Allocate space and word limits for regular monthly columns. Give the people who write them a deadline that’s at least a week ahead of the real one. Send each editing tips: spell check; read your column aloud; ask your spouse or best friend to tell you if it says what you intended. The regulars should know the drill and should be OK. One- timers you will need to harass and likely edit more. Look for more commitments for regular columns on topics from neighborhood safety to recipes or gardening tips of the season. People who are passionate about what they write are much more reliable and produce better products.
Two notes: 1) These suggestions work for many related projects that include volunteers. 2) Save the drinking until after you submit the final product.
