It's Never too Early
Planning for the future isn’t just for later in life—it starts now. Wills give you the power to choose who receives your property, name guardians for minor children, provide care instructions for pets, and so much more.
Many people also use their wills to make a lasting impact by leaving a portion of their estate to causes they care about most.
By including Volunteers of America Western Washington, you extend your impact beyond your lifetime, helping future neighbors find hope, stability, and support when they need it most.
Why Planned Giving?
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Continue to use your assets during your lifetime
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Make changes to your plans at any time
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Potentially reduce your estate tax burden
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Provide lasting support to VOAWW’s mission
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Ensure your values live on through continued impact
Commonly Gifted Assets
Financial Accounts • Real Estate • Vehicles • Brokerage accounts • Crypto & NFTs • Personal Property
Make the Most of This Free Gift for VOAWW Supporters
We’ve partnered with FreeWill to offer a secure, easy-to-use estate planning tool—completely free of charge. Whether you’re just getting started or updating an existing plan, you can create a will in about 20 minutes and make a lasting impact on our community.
It’s our way of helping you care for the people and causes that matter most.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Gifts of any size can make a meaningful difference.
You can leave a wide range of assets, including cash, real estate, retirement accounts, life insurance, stocks, or a percentage of your estate. We’re happy to talk through your options.
We’ve partnered with FreeWill to help you create a will or trust—completely free of charge. You can use these tools to complete your estate plans on your own, or simply get organized before meeting with an attorney.
Not at all. You can typically add a simple amendment (called a codicil) or update a beneficiary form.
Yes. Wills, revocable trusts, beneficiary designations, and Donor-Advised Fund recommendations can typically be updated at any time during your lifetime.
Absolutely! We fully respect your wishes for anonymity—just let our team know in advance so we can honor your preferences.
While it’s not required, we would love to know! Sharing your plans helps us plan for the future and gives us the chance to thank you (privately or publicly, if you wish).
We’re Here to Help
Have questions or want to talk through your giving goals? We’re happy to connect with you—confidentially and with no pressure or obligation. Whether you're just exploring your options or ready to take the next step, we’re here to help.
Contact Jessica Moore,
Vice President of Development
Thoughtful Giving, Lasting Impact
There are many meaningful ways to support Volunteers of America Western Washington—ways that can benefit you, your loved ones, and the community we serve.
These are called planned gifts—and with a little preparation, they allow you to care for the people and causes that matter most to you. Planned giving can offer peace of mind today while helping ensure VOAWW is here for generations to come.
Creating a will or estate plan is a powerful step. It’s also deeply personal. We encourage you to talk with your financial or legal advisor—and if you’re considering a gift to VOAWW, we’d be honored to talk with you, too. Together, we can ensure your legacy is carried out just as you intend, and your gift makes the greatest possible impact.
Why Beneficiary Designations Are So Powerful
Some of your most valuable assets—like retirement accounts, life insurance policies, and other financial accounts—aren’t covered in your will. These are called non-probate assets, and they’re passed on through beneficiary designations.
By naming VOAWW as a beneficiary, you can make a lasting impact—often with tax benefits for your loved ones. It’s a simple, powerful way to support your community
Charitable Benefits
Receive an estate tax charitable deduction
Ease the tax burden on your loved ones
Retain full use of your assets during your lifetime
Leave a lasting legacy through VOAWW
Frequently Asked Questions
It’s a way to name who will receive certain assets—like retirement accounts, life insurance policies, or bank accounts—when you pass away. These assets transfer directly to your named beneficiaries outside of your will.
A non-probate asset is an account or other asset that won’t be governed by the decisions you make in a will. Instead, these accounts commonly have an assigned beneficiary that you choose. Types of non-probate assets include many retirement accounts, life insurance, some bank accounts, and some assets (like a house or vehicle) that you jointly own with another person.
The most commonly gifted non-probate asset is an IRA or 401(k). This is because these accounts are always taxed (even for people below the estate tax threshold). Giving these accounts to charity keeps your heirs from having to pay unexpected taxes.
Yes! Even if you have a will in place you still need to designate beneficiaries on your non-probate assets.
In many cases, yes. Naming a charitable beneficiary like VOAWW can help reduce estate taxes that might otherwise be owed by your heirs.
No. Assets with beneficiary designations are transferred directly to the named beneficiaries and typically avoid the probate process.
Absolutely. You can update or change your beneficiary designations at any time by submitting a new form to your account provider.