“My time at Providence provided me with a strong foundation for stability, structure, and overall well being. This house has provided me the tools and resources to set me up for success and has changed my life completely. I will forever be grateful for the opportunity Providence has given me, and I’m proud to call Providence my home.” – Levi, Providence House Graduate (pictured above with co-founder, Andy Cannon)
You can help create stories like Levi’s by including Providence Network in your will. Ready to begin? One of the best ways to steward the resources entrusted to us is to have an up-to-date will. Proverbs 11:25 encourages us, “A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.” Discover practical tools to help you create a will that reflects your personal values, provides for your loved ones, and blesses the charities close to your heart.
In-Person Will Services
Save time and money by filling out our Will Planning Guide in preparation for seeing your attorney or estate planner.
Online Will Services
Most people can complete an online will in less than 30 minutes. Here are several potential benefits to consider:
Affordability: Cost is often a concern when it comes to getting a will. A lawyer may charge you $800 for a basic will (and a lot more if your estate is complicated), but most people can get an online will for less than $200. Notaries may also increase cost.
Ease: Online will sites provide simple questionnaires that the average person can answer in about 30 minutes or less. With an attorney, you may have to schedule a couple of face-to-face appointments to review your information and finalize your documents.
Quality: Do-it-yourself online legal documents have been accepted by court and government agencies in all 50 states. Some of the most popular online will sites were founded by attorneys and offer high-quality, legally valid, state-specific wills.
Privacy: Some people are uncomfortable with the idea of discussing their financial and family information with a stranger. Although attorneys are required to keep your discussions confidential, many prefer the anonymity of fill-in-the-blank online forms.
Keep in mind that every online will website offers a slightly different user experience, including with engaging with their legal team online, so it’s important to do your research before getting started. In no particular order, here are several online will services:
We do not endorse any of these services or the products or content they offer.
Find a Lawyer
If you decide to use a lawyer to create, update, or review your will, you’ll want to find an attorney who shares your values and is knowledgeable about estate planning. Here are several options for finding an estate planning attorney:
Kingdom Advisors’ vision is to transform the world by leading the Christian financial industry delivering biblical financial advice. Seeking to live out this vision, their mission is to provide advocacy for the Christian financial industry, training and community for Christian financial professionals, granting the Certified Kingdom Advisor® designation, and upholding it as the standard of excellence for the advancement of biblical financial advice. You can find a Kingdom Advisors’ certified estate planning attorney using their search tool (Find a CKA®)
EstatePlanning.com provides you with objective, plain-English resources you need to answer your estate planning questions and help you better understand estate planning and the estate planning process. They can also connect you with an estate planning attorney in your geographic area through their robust search tool.
We do not endorse any of these services or the products or content they offer.
Including a Charity
But how do you include a charity in your will? Use one of these common ways to significantly increase your charitable impact through your will and clearly communicate your values.
Add a child named “Charity:” Some families treat charitable organizations like an additional child. For example, if a family has three children, they might add a fourth child named “Charity” and divide the assets in their will into four equal parts. Each of their children would receive 25%, and the remaining 25% would be divided among their favorite charitable organizations.
Percentage: Others commit a percentage of their estate to the charitable organizations they love, dividing the remainder among their heirs.
Cap: Some families decide to “cap” their children’s inheritance, leaving the rest of their assets to charity. This approach is used when the parents want to provide a modest gift to bless their children and eliminate concerns of creating dependence or giving too much too soon.
Update an existing will: An attorney can add, delete, or change an item in your will with an additional statement called a “codicil.” Here’s an example: “I give, devise, and bequeath twenty- five percent (25%) of my residuary estate to [charity name] whose address is [city, state, zip code].” Like a will, a codicil must be dated, signed, and witnessed.
Sample Language
Leaving a gift in your will (sometimes called a bequest) to a ministry or charity that you love is a great expression of your personal values, and it may be simpler than you think. We’ve developed language for the most common types of in-will gifts. These are suggestions and should be written or adapted by your legal counsel to fit your situation.
General Support
“I give _______ (% or dollar amount) of my estate to: Providence Network of Denver, CO for its general use.”
Specific Program
“I give ____ (% or dollar amount) of my estate to: Providence Network of Denver, CO for the (Name of the Project or Fund).”
Remainder of Estate
“I give and devise to: Providence Network of Denver, CO all (or state a percentage) of the rest, residue and remainder of my estate, both real and personal, to be used for its general support (or for the support of a specific fund or program).”
Our Legal Name & Tax ID Number
Your legal counsel will need this information when assisting you with your estate plan.
Legal Name: Providence Network
Tax ID Number: 74-2505406
Need more information or sample language? Read our post on wills, trusts, and estate planning.
Other Options
Interested in learning about more opportunities to give? Learn about donating life insurance and IRA QCDs (that meet your RMD). You might also consider writing a Legacy Love Letter or Ethical Will to encourage and comfort your family after your passing. Thank you for considering joining our Legacy Society by including Providence Network in your will.
Disclaimer: Providence Network has not provided you with any investment, financial, legal, or tax advice. Instead, we have advised you to consult with your own legal and financial advisors and tax experts. We are not responsible for any decisions or actions taken in reliance upon or as a result of the content made available on this website or social media channels.
Links: Links to third party sites are provided as examples of commonly known resources for information purposes only. Providence Network does not endorse any third-party products or content that may be available through the links to any third-party websites.
