The Marjorie and Isabelle Secondo Legacy Society

Planned Giving
When you include St. Francis in your estate planning, you declare to your family and friends that you believe in and care about the mission and vision of St. Francis High School- Salesian College Preparatory. Your parting gift becomes a clear declaration of your values. 

Like many people, you’d like to know that the causes and organizations you care about today will continue to thrive in the future. Leaving a legacy - through a planned gift - will help ensure that a St. Francis High School education is available to young men and women from all walks of life, for generations to come.

In addition to supporting us through cash donations, we ask that you consider making a Planned Gift.

Estate gifts can be designated for a specific purpose or they can be unrestricted for use where needed most.  They can fund endowments that perpetually provide an ongoing witness to your friends and loved ones that you believe in our work with the young.  There is something about a well-planned estate gift that influences others to “go and do likewise.” As friends and family members plan their own estates, they may recall your generosity and thoughtfulness.

What is Planned Giving?
Planned giving is a win-win approach to philanthropic donations that support St. Francis High School Salesian College Preparatory and can benefit you and your family now or in the future. Essentially, “planned giving” is the transfer of assets to a designated nonprofit organization during a lifetime or as part of an estate plan. This forward-thinking approach to giving is “planned” because often these assets are not liquid, have tax consequences and are generally transferred via a will or other written means.

Wills & Trusts
Interested in helping with our mission but feel overwhelmed by the thought of writing another check or giving up your assets today? A simple, flexible and versatile way to ensure we can continue our work for years to come is a gift in your will or living trust, known as a charitable bequest.

By including a bequest to St. Francis High School Salesian College Preparatory in your will or living trust, you are ensuring that we can continue our mission for years to come. Your gift also entitles your estate to an unlimited federal estate tax charitable deduction. You can use the following assets to fund a bequest:

  • Cash
  • Appreciated Securities
  • Real Estate
  • Tangible Personal Property
  • Closely Held Stock


Beneficiary Designations
Passionate about supporting the mission of St. Francis, even after your lifetime? It's not only possible, it's easy to do with a beneficiary designation. Just name St. Francis High School Salesian College Preparatory as a beneficiary to receive assets such as retirement plans and life insurance policies after you're gone. You simply fill out a form that is entirely separate from your will—which makes this approach an easy way to give.

Not only is it an easy way to give, but also it's also flexible—you aren't locked into the choices you make today. You can review and adjust beneficiary designations anytime you want. You can name St. Francis as the beneficiary of the following assets: 

  • Retirement Plan Assets
  • Life Insurance
  • Commercial Annuities
  • Bank Accounts, Certificates of Deposit or Brokerage Accounts


Gifts of Life Insurance
The benefits of giving a policy you no longer need to St. Francis High School Salesian College Preparatory are: 

  • You transfer ownership of a paid-up life insurance policy to St. Francis.
  • St. Francis cashes the policy now, or maintains it and receives the death benefit later.
  • You receive gift credit and an immediate income tax deduction for the cash surrender value of the policy.
  • You gain the satisfaction of making a significant gift to St. Francis without adversely affecting your cash flow.
 
Planned Giving Supports the St. Francis Endowment Fund
Since 2001, St. Francis High School Salesian College Preparatory has been a life-changing place to call home for over 800 young men and women. Educating a student at St. Francis High School costs nearly $15,422 per year. Tuition covers approximately 89% of that expense. The remainder is made up through fundraising efforts and generous benefactors. Due to ever increasing budgetary demands placed upon our school, we have established an endowment fund to secure a stable financial future for St. Francis High School.
 
The primary focal points of the Endowment Fund are:
  • Tuition assistance; as of the 2019-2020 school year, the number of students needing assistance has steadily grown to 57.4% of the school’s population. For this reason, tuition assistance is listed first
  • Student programs
  • Facilities management and improvements

The need to secure our endowment for the future is critical.

CLICK HERE to read our PLANNED GIVING GUIDE. 

This trifold brochure outlines the historical success of a Catholic institution run by the Salesian priests and brothers since 1921. It also provides an overview of the steps one can take to donate to the Endowment Fund and to ensure they are a part of The Marjorie and Isabelle Secondo Legacy Society.

All endowment contributions are tax deductible and can be made in the form of cash, assets, appreciated stocks/bonds, life insurance, annuities, real estate, personal property or by listing St. Francis High School in your will. You may choose to designate your gift to a particular program or area of need or make an unrestricted gift. Earnings from unrestricted gifts will be allocated to one of three areas listed above in most need, designated by the school's Administration and Board of Directors.

Instead of being spent immediately like Annual Fund or Capital Campaign gifts, endowment gifts are placed into a legally restricted trust fund with the Community Foundation of Santa Cruz County. Your gift will compound with interest and dividends will be paid out to St. Francis High School.  

CLICK HERE to download and print our NOTICE OF ENROLLMENT AND INTENTION to join The Marjorie and Isabelle Secondo Legacy Society.

A donation to St. Francis High School's Marjorie and Isabelle Secondo Legacy Society from your estate plan supports a life-changing place to call home for Sharks students today and in the future.

With this type of donation, you can also: 

  • Give without affecting your income
  • Provide yourself added income
  • Protect your heirs

 
Please see the links below to learn more about ways that you can donate to The Marjorie and Isabelle Secondo Legacy Society for our Endowment. Thank you for your support of St. Francis High School and our amazing students. Feel free to contact a member of our Advancement Team for more information or assistance:

  • Mr. Patrick Lee, President and Director of Planned Giving-       831-724-5933 ext. 204
  • Ms. Nicole Dewig, Advancement Communications Manager-   831-724-5933 ext. 221
  • Ms. Lina Silva, Administrative Assistant-                                    831-724-5933 ext. 222

 

Why Estate Planning Is for Everyone?
Estate plans and legacy gifts often seem like the realm of the super-wealthy—it’s easy to see why some people would need to put together a plan for how they want their significant assets to be divided up.

It’s less clear why the average person needs an estate plan. After all, it may seem like you don’t have any assets to divide up.

Think again. Whether your net worth is $100 or $1 billion, you have an estate. If you have a house, car or rare stamp collection, you have an estate. If you have a savings account or contribute to an IRA, you have an estate. If you have an opinion about who gets your great-aunt’s necklace or your grandpa’s antique tools, you have an estate.

The truth is estate planning is for everyone regardless of age or assets. A well-crafted estate plan allows you to protect the people and causes you care about most, no matter what.

A will is one of the most important documents you’ll ever write, and not having one in place can have consequences.

If you don’t have a will:

  • The state will be in charge of dividing up your assets, including sentimental items or family inheritances.
  • A court will name an executor of your estate, leaving someone you may not know or have chosen in charge of your assets.
  • A court will designate a guardian for those under your care, including minor children.
  • Your commitment to supporting Francis High School Salesian College Preparatory and other charitable organizations will be forgotten.

We’re happy to help you start the planning process or answer any questions. Feel free to contact us.

The information on this website is not intended as legal or tax advice. For such advice, please consult an attorney or tax advisor. Figures cited in examples are for illustrative purposes only. References to tax rates include federal taxes only and are subject to change. State law may further impact your individual results.