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Legacy Giving vs. Planned Giving: What’s the Difference?

While people often use these terms interchangeably, they focus on slightly different aspects of your financial story.

Legacy Giving

Leave a gift through your estate to make an enduring difference. Legacy giving refers to the gifts you designate through your estate plan to take effect after your lifetime. 

Benefits of Legacy Giving

  • Creates a lasting legacy
  • Helps sustain the organization’s mission for years to come
  • Can be made through a will, trust, retirement account, or life insurance
  • Provides flexibility—you can update your plans as circumstances change
  • Honors your values and supports future generations

Planned Giving

Give with intention while meeting your financial and family goals. Includes any major gift—given either now or in the future that requires thoughtful financial planning and structuring.

Benefits of Planned Giving:

  • Supports the causes you care about
  • Can provide tax advantages*
  • May generate lifetime income through certain gift options
  • Allows you to make a larger gift than you may be able to today
  • Fits into your overall financial and estate plans

Simple Ways to Give

You don’t need a complex legal rewrite to make a difference. Many donors find that routing their estate gifts through a Donor Advised Fund (DAF) provides the ultimate flexibility, allowing you to update your charitable intentions over time without constantly modifying your will.

Common paths include:

  • Charitable Bequests: Naming The Neighborhood Center of West Volusia as a beneficiary in your will or trust for a specific dollar amount or percentage of your estate.
  • Non-Cash Assets: Designating retirement accounts (like an IRA), life insurance policies, real estate, or business interests to fund your philanthropic goals.
  • Charitable Trusts: Utilizing specialized structures that balance your personal income needs during your lifetime with your charitable goals later.
  • Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD): If you are 70½ or older, you can support us directly from your traditional IRA through a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD), satisfying your Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) while reducing your taxable income.

Please note: Please always consult with your financial and legal advisors to find the best approach for you that align with your goals. Also, see below for Information for Your Financial Advisor about our organization, should you choose to move forward with a planned or legacy gift to support our cause.

The Benefits of Planning Ahead

  • Tax Efficiency: Reduce your estate or income tax liabilities while maximizing the ultimate impact of your hard-earned assets.
  • Community Sustainability: Provide reliable, long-term support that helps vital local programs survive and thrive through future challenges.
  • Family Values: Inspire the next generation by initiating meaningful family conversations about generosity and shared community prioritie

Debunking Common Myths

  • “It’s only for the wealthy.” — False. Legacy gifts come in all shapes and sizes. Every contribution helps strengthen our community’s future.
  • “It’s too complicated.” — False. With the right partner, integrating a gift into your existing estate or financial plans is incredibly straightforward.
  • “I have to give away money right now.” — False. Legacy giving is entirely future-focused, meaning it preserves your current lifestyle and capital while protecting tomorrow.

How Will You Shape Tomorrow?

When you trust us with a gift in your estate plans, you aren’t just looking ahead—you are investing in proven solutions for our community’s deepest challenges. Join our family of supporters who share a deep sense of local duty and a desire to drive lasting change. Together, we can solve tomorrow’s problems today and shape a vibrant future for West Volusia.

Information for Your Financial Advisor

If you are ready to include The Neighborhood Center of West Volusia in your estate plans, or if you want to facilitate a gift through your financial accounts, your financial advisor will need our official organizational details. You can easily copy and paste the information below to share with your CPA, financial advisor, or estate planning attorney:

  • Legal Name: The Neighborhood Center of West Volusia
  • Mailing Address: 434 S. Woodland Blvd., DeLand, FL 32720
  • Federal Tax ID (EIN): 59-129-5217
  • Charitable Status: 501(c)(3) non-profit organization
  • Direct Contact for Gift Planning: info@nhcwv.org or (386) 310-2535