Beneficiary Designations

Make a Gift in a Few Easy Steps

Not everyone wants to commit to making a gift in their wills or estates. Some prefer the increased flexibility that a beneficiary designation provides by using:

IRAs and retirement plans
Life insurance policies
Donor advised funds
Commercial annuities

It is very simple to name Willamette University as a beneficiary. Many providers now allow you to log in to your account and update your beneficiary designation online. You can also request a change-of-beneficiary form from your policy administrator or download the form from your provider's website. Make your desired changes and return the form to establish your gift.

See How It Works

An Example of How It Works

Couples smiling Casey and Sam treasure the financial help they've been able to give their adult children and Willamette University over the years. The couple recently updated their wills to leave stocks and real estate to their children. They designated 10% of Sam’s IRA to Willamette University to be transferred following their lifetime. Because Willamette University is tax-exempt, that full share will go directly to support our mission.

If Casey and Sam had left that same 10% to their children, nearly one-quarter of it could have gone to federal income taxes, reducing what their family would receive. Casey and Sam are happy knowing they are making the most of their hard-earned money thanks to their updated estate plan.

*Based on an assumption of a 24% marginal income tax bracket.

Fund Your Donation With:

Next Steps

Log in to your account to update your beneficiary designation online, or contact the administrator of your retirement plan, insurance policy or bank account to request a change-of-beneficiary form. Many providers also make these forms available for download on their websites.
Decide what percentage (from 1 to 100) you would like Willamette University to receive. Then, log in to your account to update your beneficiary designation online or request/download a change-of-beneficiary form from your provider. Complete the form, naming us as a beneficiary, indicate the percentage you’ve chosen and return it to your plan administrator.
Contact the Office of Gift Planning at 503-370-6546 or giftplanning@willamette.edu to let us know your goals for the gift so we can ensure it is used as you intend.

Legal name: Willamette University
Address: 900 State Street, Salem, OR 97301
Federal tax ID number: 93-0386972

Learn More

Download our FREE guide Beneficiary Designations: Easy Ways to Leave Your Legacy.

Free Estate Planning Tool