Make affordable homeownership part of your legacy with FreeWill

Guest blog by Laura Tanner, 
Major Gifts and Planned Giving Officer

Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity is committed to making affordable homeownership a reality for generations to come. Many Habitat supporters choose to include a donation in their estate plans as a way to create long-term impact. When you make a donation to Twin Cities Habitat in your will or trust, you make the transformative power of home part of your legacy.

Leaving a legacy is easier than ever before thanks to our FreeWill online tool. With this fast, convenient, and secure platform, you can create a will, advance care directive, and more. There is no cost – we offer this tool as a gift to you.

When using FreeWill, you simply specify the amount or percentage from your estate you’d like to leave to family, friends, and causes important to you. This way, you can make sure to have a positive impact for generations to come, without any upfront cost in your lifetime.

Planned giving is an option for anyone that wants to build a legacy, regardless of their income or age. FreeWill makes planned giving simple and accessible.

A little planning can provide a lot of peace of mind. Creating a will, or other legal document, outlining your wishes is critical for a smooth process and to ensure your needs are met. Including Twin Cities Habitat in your estate plans creates a lasting legacy through the stability of homeownership for generations to come.

Here's how it works:

1. It's easy to get started. If you have a simple estate, you can print your legal will to be signed and witnessed. In the case of more complex estates, you can create a document to finalize with an attorney. You can also make an advance healthcare directive and financial power of attorneys.

2. Once you create your will, we encourage you to specify the amount or percentage of your estate you’d like to leave (if any) to Twin Cities Habitat and other significant causes. At Habitat, we welcome all real estate gifts. We understand the value of land and property and know your home could make a bigger community impact than you ever thought possible.

Prefer to work directly with an attorney? You can still leave a legacy.

If you prefer to work with an attorney to draft your will, you can still leave us a gift in your will. We suggest using the following language:

"I give, devise, and bequeath to Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity, Inc., a non-profit corporation located at 1954  University Ave W, St. Paul, Minnesota____ percent of my estate as an unrestricted gift. Tax ID: 36-3363171."

Creating a will is the best way to make sure your wishes are known, all the while saving your loved ones the stress and cost of instate probate proceedings. By using the FreeWill platform, you can rest assured that your plans are in order and you’ll be making a positive change in our community for generations to come.

If you decide to give today, or have already included Habitat in your estate plans, please let us know. You may provide as much or as little information as you feel comfortable. We would be honored to thank you and ensure your wishes are accurately reflected, while respecting your confidentiality.

There are many planned giving options available. And although Twin Cities Habitat does not offer legal, financial or tax advice, we would be happy to share any additional information with you or your financial advisor. For questions regarding planned giving, please contact gifts@tchabitat.org or 612-305-7137.