Bequests
Bequests are appropriate for those who wish to make a significant gift without diminishing the size of their current assets. When you make a bequest, you also reduce the size of your taxable estate. A bequest can be made simply by including the Louisiana Tech University Foundation, Inc. in your will. A bequest can be a specific amount of money, securities, or property or the residual of your estate after other bequests have been made.Bequests can be designated for specific purposes, such as establishing scholarships, professorships, or eminent scholar chairs, or you may designate your gift as unrestricted which will give the Tech Foundation the flexibility to use your gift where it is needed most. Consult an attorney for help in drafting your will. More on Bequests..

Charitable Trusts
A charitable remainder trust allows you to make a gift now and retain lifetime income for you and your beneficiaries. Such a trust allows you to convert appreciated, low-yielding assets to additional income without incurring capital gains tax. An income tax deduction may be taken when the gift is made.A charitable lead trust makes annual payments to charitable purposes for a period of time and then the assets are returned to you or your beneficiaries.

Retirement Accounts
The assets in qualified retirement plans, such as IRAs, can be a very tax efficient way to make gifts. Retirement accounts are included as part of the taxable estate at death and heirs may also owe income tax on the remaining amount. Heirs (other than a spouse) and beneficiaries can lose up to 75 percent of the accounts' value to taxes. Making charitable gifts with retirement account assets can actually result in more assets being available to family than if charitable gifts were made from other assets in the estate.