Next month MDA remembers our founder, Msgr. Anthony Brouwers, who passed into his eternal reward in 1964. His legacy, as the visionary of the lay missionary service, lives on today in Peru, Tanzania, Sierra Leone, Uganda, and the rest of the dioceses and countries where lay missionaries have served.
What Will Your Legacy Be?
This month, August, is “Make a Will Month” —the perfect time to reflect on the values that have shaped your life and the impact you want to leave behind. A fact we recently read surprised us, and may, or may not, surprise you: more than one-half of American adults do not have a will.
At Mission Doctors Association, we often speak about legacy. Msgr. Brouwers’ Legacy, the legacy of every Catholic healthcare professional who has said “yes” to serving patients and training the local healthcare professionals at Catholic mission hospitals. And, the legacy of donors who have given not only during their lives but have also remembered MDA as part of their own legacy.
Creating or updating your will is one of the most important—and surprisingly simple—ways to care for the people and the causes you love. And is important whether you’re 35 or 85. Having a plan in place gives you peace of mind, protects your family, and allows you to reflect your faith in the way you share your life’s blessings.
How to Create or Update Your Will in 5 Simple Steps
1.Start with the people and organizations
Make a list of the loved ones you need and/or want to provide for—spouse, children, grandchildren, and the causes close to your heart. Think about how you want your assets to be distributed.
2. Take inventory
Write down what you own: your home, bank accounts, investments, retirement plans, insurance policies and personal belongings of value. This will help you make a clear plan.
3. Choose someone to carry out your wishes
Choose: (1) an executor who is the person who will carry out your wishes and (2) if needed, guardians for your children or other dependents. Obviously, this should be someone you trust deeply. Most advisors will recommend that you make your plan known to your family as well.
4.Change or add Beneficiary: Two instruments you may have, that can make this very easy (and may have tax advantages) are Insurance policies, and retirement accounts. Perhaps you had an insurance policy intended to provide for a young family, now grown? Or a retirement account that you hope to make the most of in the future. By adding MDA as a beneficiary for a specific dollar amount, or percentage of these, you can insure that of your legacy can go to support the lifesaving work of MDA.
Do you make donations through a Donor Advised Fund (DAF)?
It you make your donations using a DAF it is possible to name Mission Doctors Association as a successor of this charitable account. You may wish to take advantage of features like pre-scheduling grants, setting up recurring grants or adding MDA as a charitable successor. If you do not already have a DAF this may be an tool you may consider.
5.Professional services
Contact an estate planning attorney or use a trusted online legal service. If you already have a will, now is a good time to review and update it—especially if you’ve had life changes; change of family status, for you or your beneficiaries, move out of state, or a significant change in assets.
Including Mission Doctors in Your Will or Trust
Adding Mission Doctors Association to your plan is easier than you might think. Here’s the simple language many supporters use:
“I give [a specific amount or percentage] to Mission Doctors Association, (Tax ID 95-6110132) a nonprofit organization located at 6102 South Victoria Avenue, for its general charitable purposes.”
An advisor or attorney can help you include this wording in your will or trust.
Why Your Legacy left for Mission Doctors Association Matters:
Every time a child receives medicine, a mother delivers safely, or a patient hears a kind word and a prayer—your legacy will leave on.
You don’t have to be wealthy to make a meaningful gift. You just need the heart to help others, even after your lifetime.
Please let us know If you’ve already included Mission Doctors in your will, thank you. We would be grateful to be able to honor your generosity and keep you informed about the impact of your future gift.
This August, we hope you may take a few minutes to plan. Share your faith. Put your love into action. Leave a legacy of hope and healing.
Want help getting started?
Visit: https://www.missiondoctors.org/leave-a-legacy/ or call us at (213) 368-1872. We’re happy to answer questions or connect you with helpful resources—of course, no pressure, just a conversation.