HORIZON GIVING CLUB LAUNCHES

A planned-giving donor recognition club called the Horizon Club has been launched at Southeast Missouri State University.

The club is the creation of the Southeast Missouri University Foundation's board of directors and the university's development office.

The club is designed to recognize donors who name the Southeast Missouri University Foundation in planned-giving instruments such as a will, living trust, annuity, insurance policy or charitable remainder trust. Charter memberships are available to people who name the Southeast Missouri University Foundation in their estate plans between now and June 30.

People who already have named the foundation in estate plans may become charter members by notifying the foundation.

"The Horizon Club allows the university to recognize and to formally express its appreciation to people who have made arrangements for planned giving to the university," said Donald Ford, development director.

"These gifts are the result of careful planning involving the family attorney, trust officer, insurance underwriter an~d accountant," said Ford. "Such gifts are crucial for the long-term financial well-being of the foundation and the university as the need to raise private funds increases."

To qualify for the Horizon Club, people must provide the Southeast Missouri University Foundation with the following documentation:

Those naming the foundation as beneficiary of their will must, for verification, submit a full copy of their will or a copy of the first page of the will, the page mentioning the foundation as beneficiary and the signature page.

Those naming the foundation in a living trust must submit a copy of the document's cover page, signature page, the page mentioning the foundation or a full copy of the trust.

Those naming the foundation as owner and beneficiary of an insurance policy or charitable remainder trust must send the document to the foundation.

"Planned givers are very special donors because they have taken the time to name the university in their estate plan," Ford said. The Horizon Club will enable the foundation to most effectively work with major donors who prefer planned-giving arrangements.

"Many times, income-tax, federal-estate-tax, and gift-tax implications play a role in structuring planned gifts," Ford said. "These tax code considerations, coupled with philanthropic considerations, make giving through a medium, such as a living trust or will, most attractive."

Club members will be recognized each year in the Honor Roll of Donors and the University Foundation annual report. Members also will be invited as special guests to all Copper Dome Society events and will be presented individually with special mementos.

Interested individuals can obtain more information by contacting Ford at (314) 651-2332.