Dan Davis, who generously supported the children and families of Youth Villages for many years, died suddenly in late 2003. Thanks to a $300,000 bequest from his estate, Davis' legacy lives on and will continue to touch the lives of children for generations to come.

"The news of Dan's death was saddening," Marler Stone, director of community relations, says. "He has been most generous to the emotionally troubled children we help, and we are very grateful for his support that continues on thanks to his generous bequest."

Davis' bequest benefits the Youth Villages Center for Intensive Residential Treatment located on our Bartlett campus. The center serves children and young people with serious emotional and behavioral problems. The center's educational wing has been dedicated in Davis'memory.

Bequests are often funded by cash, but there are other options as well. Using appreciated assets, often stock or mutual fund shares, can provide an extra benefit. The tax benefits are based not on the cost of the asset, but on its appreciated value. And, there is no capital gains tax on the appreciation.

Using funds from a retirement account to make bequests is often a good strategy. If there is a balance in your retirement account at your death, not only is there a potential income tax burden, but there may be estate taxes as well. Estimates are that taxes could eat up as much as 70-75% of retirement assets under certain circumstances. Careful planning concerning retirement funds needs to be done. Some additional information regarding retirement assets is available.

Another option to consider in making a gift is to use life insurance policies that are no longer needed or necessary. There are some different ways to make a gift of life insurance.

Dan created a legacy that will continue to benefit Youth Villages and the children we serve and support. We can only imagine the satisfaction Dan felt when he made the arrangements in his will. In addition, Dan's estate benefited by having a write-off to charity through the bequest.

Click here to meet Susan and Fred.

Please note, individual financial circumstances will vary. The information on this site does not constitute legal or tax advice. Donor stories and photographs are for purposes of illustration only. As with all tax and estate planning, please consult your attorney or estate specialist. All material is copyrighted and is for viewing purposes only. Use of this site signifies your agreement with the terms of use. The content in this Planned Giving section has been developed for Youth Villages by Future Focus. Please report any problems to webmaster. Revised: April 4, 2005 13:23.