Notification of Bequest Intention

Why You Should Document Your Bequest Gift

Have you wondered what the benefits are of letting Connecticut College know about your estate plan? At Connecticut College, we recognize the importance of your decision to name the College in your estate plan. Gifts to charity from your estate are the expression of an ultimate gift. When you name the College in your will or living trust or as a beneficiary of a retirement plan, donor-advised fund, or bank account, you are deciding to create a lasting legacy at Connecticut College that will carry on for generations to come. Alumni, family, and friends of Conn are encouraged to share their generous intentions and provide those details, which “documents” their future gift that will benefit the College.

Known as a bequest intention, this gift type offers a Connecticut College donor campaign, reunion, and gift credit if the College will receive a future gift from an estate. The donor or contingent beneficiary must be aged 60 or older as of June 30, 2025, in order to document a bequest for gift credit. We also require a completed Notification of Bequest Intention form along with the supporting documentation.

Peace of Mind

When you document your bequest, it will ensure that your wishes will be met. Connecticut College recognizes that this gift is subject to change depending on personal or economic circumstances. The Notification of Bequest Intention form* is not intended to be a legally binding pledge. All information provided to the College will remain confidential. As a courtesy, we ask that you contact our office should your plans change.

Designating a Purpose

Your bequest can benefit Connecticut College in many ways, including:

Unrestricted endowment
Financial aid
Academic department or discipline
Athletics or the Arts

Here is a way you can make a gift to the Connecticut College Annual Fund in perpetuity

Name Connecticut College in your will or living trust and direct the designation to the Connecticut College Endowment. By doing so, your bequest gift will be building the Endowment – the financial foundation of the College. Your bequest gift will grow with the growth of the Endowment, and every year – forever – a percentage of your gift will support future generations of Connecticut College students.

A member of our Gift Planning team can review or provide specific language for your will or living trust. For example, if your gift is directed to an endowed fund, we will make sure to provide you with the necessary language to ensure your donor intent is clear.

We encourage calling our office and having a conversation about your intentions. Our standard bequest language may be found on our bequest language webpage.

Inspiring Others

Estate gifts are a crucial component of continuing support for Connecticut College. By documenting your bequest, you inspire other alumni, family, and friends to follow in your footsteps. Gifts through estate plans and other testamentary gifts have nurtured the College’s financial strength for more than 100 years.

Recognition and Appreciation

Documenting your bequest allows us to thank you now for your future gift. Upon sharing your bequest intention, we will welcome you as a member into the Rosemary Park Society—our donor recognition society for alumni, family, and friends who have named the College in their estate plans or established other types of planned gifts. Benefits include invitations to regional events, an invitation-only annual campus event for members, and a listing in the Annual Report. You can choose to remain anonymous.

How to Document Your Bequest

To document your bequest, we request the following items

Notification of Bequest Intention Form*
A copy of one of the following:
1. The relevant portion of your will or living trust document naming the College.
2. The relevant portion of your retirement-plan beneficiary designation with available pertinent plan information (plan type, name of account owner, plan administrator, most recent market value information, date)

Should you have any questions about completing the form, gift amount valuation, or the supporting documentation, please contact our office.

We are grateful to all of our friends and alumni who have contributed to Connecticut College in this meaningful way. We look forward to partnering with you.

* The Notification of Bequest Intention form is a fillable form that can be electronically or physically signed. This form needs to be saved and sent back to Connecticut College; it will not automatically send when filled out.

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