Planned Giving

Planned giving happens when someone includes Smith in her estate plans, as Sophia did to create the College in her will of 1870 when she was 74.  It was a daring decision.  Critics worried that a women’s college would “unfit women for domestic life.”

For the Class of 1969, planned giving continues to afford various 21st century-style opportunities for personalized – and perhaps also daring – philanthropy at any level or for any amount. Smith’s Office of Gift Planning can help to match a donor’s financial profile and charitable intentions to the appropriate type of donation – ranging from outright gifts by will or beneficiary designation, to gifts that pay you income and save you taxes, to gifts that protect assets for you or your family. Director Sam Samuels and his staff always welcome your call at 413-320-6174.

For certain types and amounts of planned gifts, there’s also a way in which they could boost our 55th reunion gift total. Smith is going to count 55% of all non-contingent testamentary bequests and beneficiary designations of $10,000 or more. That means our reunion total would be increased as if the donor had given $5,500 (or whatever higher amount the 55% might be) as a current cash gift. Smith also counts a full 100% of all charitable gift annuities of $10,000 or more and remainder trusts of $100,000 or more. But in order for any of these qualifying gifts to be counted for reunion credit, the donor must inform Smith and provide some particulars – under a process known as the bequest intention policy.

Smith honors planned giving with an invitation to join The Grécourt Society. If you have included Smith in your estate plans in any amount, please let the College know so that you, too, can be acknowledged. Joining Grécourt is easy and can be done online:  click here. There is no minimum amount required; it costs nothing now; Smith may be either a primary or a contingent beneficiary; no documentation is necessary; and if a donor’s situation changes, a gift can be modified or canceled. It’s that simple. Spouses also qualify for Grécourt membership.

The Class of 1969 has more Grécourt members than any other class, and we won the Grécourt Prize at our 50th Reunion for adding the largest number of new members since the last reunion. Let’s win it again in 2024 at our 55th and break another record for winning at two consecutive reunions.