We primarily work with nonprofit organizations, providing consulting and strategy on planned giving. From a one-time audit and strategy session to ongoing check-ins and consulting on potential legacy gifts, we can create a package for an organization of any size or type. We often work directly with an organization’s donors as well, educating them on their legacy planning opportunities and helping them maximize their charitable impact and minimize tax on their estates.
We can also work with people and families who find us on their own. We serve clients of all backgrounds and ages, with different estate sizes/assets and family dynamics. We help them take a proactive, comprehensive approach to legacy planning–educating them on all their options for preserving and sharing their resources, and working with their financial advisor, attorney, and favorite nonprofits/foundations to bring their plan to life. There’s a Legacy Planning Package to fit every stage of life and budget.
Only 35-40% of Americans have an estate plan…of those, less than half know or understand what it says! And Americans, on the whole, are quite generous. The majority give to causes they believe in each year. But even though most of Americans’ assets are non-liquid (real estate, securities, retirement funds, life insurance, etc.) less than 6% have a plan for remembering charity in the long-term or after they’re gone. Through strategic planning, people can avoid significant, unnecessary tax on their estate while giving MORE to their families and MORE to charitable organizations than they ever thought possible. Legacy planning is a game-changer for families, and it can dramatically increase long-term giving and sustainability for a nonprofit.
We can create a consulting package to fit any organization–so it depends on how much time you want to invest in this! We’re big believers in the impact of proactive relationship-building and planned giving education at nonprofits, because we’ve seen the incredible generosity that comes with donors understanding their options and being given the freedom to choose a plan for themselves. Clients are often able–and inspired–to give their biggest gift ever through their estates–and sometimes they’re not even on the nonprofit’s radar. Investing in planned giving work is the most valuable move you can make as a nonprofit leader!
Each organization that works with Apex will need to designate a point person–usually a development director or key leader–who will work closely with the Apex team. We often call this person a “Champion,” because they will help get buy-in across the organization, set goals, and lead the charge internally. If you’re interested in a one-time Planned Giving Audit & Strategy package, the involvement will be intense for two months, with next steps after that. If you’re interested in Consulting on Planned Giving, you might bring Apex into key donor conversations or delegate planned giving-related tasks–which will actually decrease your team’s workload. For a full Legacy Planning Program for Donors, plan to set aside a full day or two per month to facilitate meetings, with regular communication between meetings.
We have specific, advanced training in charitable giving tools and tactics. Our team also has a broad background in fundraising, psychology, higher education, marketing, creative storytelling, event planning, and leadership development. We bring all of that–plus some humor, personality, and a strong desire to serve–to the table with us. We’re life-long learners who stay up on tax laws, economic shifts, and giving trends so you don’t have to. We also maintain a strong network of trusted professional partners that we can bring in, as needed, to support nonprofits and families beyond our expertise.
When it comes to personal legacy planning, we’re third-party consultants by design. We’re not attorneys, and we don’t sell financial investments/products. We don’t have “skin in the game” and we charge a flat fee, so there are no conflicts of interest, and we can simply help people make the absolute best decisions for their situation.
For nonprofits, legacy planning is creating long-term sustainability and impact–often by engaging donors in strategic, long-term, planned giving partnerships. Ensuring the right policies and documentation are in place, creating consistent data practices, and weaving legacy-related language into communications are all ways of ensuring the organization will thrive, no matter what the future brings.
Personal legacy planning is defining your long-term impact on your loved ones and the world–this includes communicating your values and wishes, naming trusted people to handle your estate and healthcare needs, transferring money and possessions, and planning for the succession of business ownership. “How do you want to be remembered?” is something we ask our clients often. Our work is similar to estate planning, but with a stronger focus on values, family dynamics, and charitable giving.
There are a lot of similarities, but estate planners are typically attorneys or have a strong focus on legal documents. We serve primarily in an educational capacity, helping nonprofits and their families consider and visualize their options–before working with an attorney, foundation, and/or trust company to bring a plan to life. In our Personal and Family Legacy Planning sessions, you can expect to:
Organize your important documents
Articulate your values and goals
Review customized illustrations of what your long-term impact could be
Choose and perfect a plan that makes sense to you
Bring your existing attorney and professional advisors up to speed to help make your plan official. We’ll share trusted local recommendations if needed!
Let’s schedule a free 20-minute, no-pressure consultation to talk about how we might be able to serve you. Let us know a little about your situation and goals, and we’ll get it set up!
Contact us anytime. We’ll respond as quickly as we can, and if it’s a question others might be interested in, we’ll add it to this page!