Make us a beneficiary of your IRA or other “non-probate” assets
Why beneficiary designations are so powerful
Assets not included in your will are called non-probate assets. Examples are 401(k)s, IRAs, life insurance policies, and other accounts. Designating the Augustana University as a beneficiary can have a big impact and may avoid unwanted taxes for your heirs.
Charitable benefits
Common gifted assets for beneficiaries
- IRA
- 401(k)
- Life insurance
- Joint real estate
- Joint bank accounts
- Joint property ownership
Designate Augustana University as a beneficiary to one or more of your accounts.
We have partnered with FreeWill to offer this free online platform that will walk you through the process of setting up your beneficiaries. These gifts have a big impact and can often prevent unwanted taxation.
Planned giving helps fuel Augustana’s mission
At Augustana University, donor generosity is essential to our mission of providing an exceptional liberal arts education experience. Planned giving, including bequests and gifts in wills, plays a crucial role in sustaining our efforts. These contributions ensure long-term support, enabling us to continue offering high-quality education and positively impacting students’ lives for years to come
I will always be grateful to Augustana — for the professors who mentored and supported me, the academic rigor that challenged me to think critically and communicate persuasively and the study abroad and Washington internship experiences that shaped me and opened doors to my future. Augustana delivered on its promise of a liberal arts education of enduring worth, allowing me to put to use my gifts and passions in a relevant, practical and meaningful way even as my career has taken different, but decisive, paths over the course of 15 years. Dag and I give back as a small token of our gratitude. We hope it will help to make a similar journey possible for other students who choose Augustana and accept the call to serve as tomorrow’s leaders. Our children’s future will be better for it.
Angela Dejene
Class of 2009
Frequently Asked Questions
A non-probate asset is an account or other asset that won’t be governed by the decisions you make in a will. Instead, these accounts commonly have an assigned beneficiary that you choose. Types of non-probate assets include many retirement accounts, life insurance, some bank accounts and some assets (like a house or vehicle) that you jointly own with another person.
The most commonly gifted non-probate asset is an IRA or 401(k). This is because these accounts are always taxed (even for people below the estate tax threshold). Giving these accounts to charity keeps your heirs from having to pay unexpected taxes.
Yes! Even if you have a will in place you still need to designate beneficiaries for your non-probate assets.
Yes! Gifts of any size are deeply appreciated. Many people choose to leave a percentage of their estate, which scales up or down with your estate size.
No. You can usually make these easily and at no cost to you.
Yes. You are always free to revise or update your estate plans.
We’re here to help you meet your goals!
Our team would be happy to speak with you in confidence about your giving goals, with no obligation.
Name: Paul Rasmussen
Title :Director of Development and Planned Giving
Phone: 605-274-5844
Email: paul.rasmussen@augie.edu
Already included us in your estate plan? Let us know
More ways to make an impact
Gifts in a will or trust
Donations in your will or trust are (by far) the most popular type of planned gift. Learn more, or get help starting your will (for free!).
Popular tax-smart gifts
Many people are increasingly choosing to give non-cash assets, so they can have a bigger impact at less cost to them.
Gifts that pay you back
Give assets while providing yourself or others with income for a period of time or distributions at a later date.