CHARLOTTE — August is Make-a-Will Month, a national initiative encouraging people to focus on something profoundly important: creating or updating their wills. Doing so ensures that intentions regarding asset distribution, guardianship and end-of-life care will be honored.
It’s also a time to plan for a legacy of giving. St. Matthew parishioner Dan Troy is leaving a bequest in his will that will further fund an endowment he created in memory of his wife. When she passed away in 2020, Troy was so touched by the support he received that he joined the parish’s bereavement team, walking with others in their grief.
When he established the Kathleen A. Troy Memorial Endowment Fund to support the work of Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte, that experience made the choice of an endowment recipient obvious.
“I thought it would be nice to have something available for people who don’t have the financial resources to take care of a loved one who has died,” he said. “Every family deserves to bury a loved one in the proper way so that they can feel the blessings that accompany a Catholic funeral.”
That gift came at the perfect time to assist Catholic Charities’ Piedmont Triad office, which found its burial budget fully depleted last fiscal year as the need for burial assistance grew and costs rose.
One way of ensuring that gifts left in a will can continue to benefit future generations is by creating an endowment. An endowment is a permanent fund, the principal of which is invested, that generates income for projects that can be specified by the donor.
Thanks to the endowment, the office was able to help Carolina* bury her sister, whom she had cared for full-time for many years due to a brain tumor. Carolina feared she would not be able to lay her sister to rest with dignity. She had lost her income because of her caretaking responsibilities, and her sister’s insurance policy would not cover the full cost of final expenses.
Around the same time, Kathy*, a daughter recovering from a serious accident, faced the sudden loss of her father. Already in a difficult situation, she was overwhelmed by the cost of laying her father to rest.
Through Troy’s endowment, both families were able to bury their loved ones with dignity.
Carolina shared that when she learned Catholic Charities could help with the cremation costs, she felt a deep sense of relief.
“My sadness was still there, but the stress was gone,” she said.
For Troy, hearing stories like these is an affirmation of his commitment to adding to his endowment with a bequest in his will. “I think there’s a benefit of seeing the good that the endowment can do. It allows you to see the benefits while you are still alive,” he said.
There’s another reason he encourages Catholics to consider the Church in their wills.
“You know that the Church is going to use the money for goals that are consistent with Catholic values, and it will be run by a group of professionals who also adhere to those Catholic values,” he noted.
“I also feel a great sense of confidence that the money is going to be there for the long term because I receive quarterly statements on how it is growing and how the funds are being distributed,” he said.
During Make-a-Will Month, consider creating a lasting impact by establishing or supporting an endowment or including a bequest in your estate plan.
“Make-a-Will month is a great time for those who don’t have a will to do so, to take care of themselves and their loved ones,” said Jim Kelley, diocesan director of development. “It also presents an opportunity to do what Dan Troy did to support a ministry that is important to them. When they do so, people become members of the Catholic Heritage Society, a group of almost 1,900 who have remembered the Church in their wills.”
— Catholic News Herald and Catholic Charities
*First names used to preserve client privacy.
Why make a will?
August is National Make-a-Will month, serving as a reminder of the importance of proactive estate planning. Regardless of your age or asset level, creating or updating a legal will ensures that your intentions regarding asset distribution, guardianship and end-of-life care will be honored. Beyond securing your personal wishes, a properly written will can simplify the probate process – reducing costs for your family and preventing administrative delays. You can create a legally binding document through qualified legal counsel or via reputable online platforms, including MyCatholicWill.com or CRESWILL.com.
Just make sure the document you create is legally binding in your state, get it properly notarized, and give a copy to your loved ones. Taking action this month can safeguard your family’s future and create a legacy through bequests to the Church.
Plan Ahead
Interested in making a planned gift or setting up an endowment to benefit your parish, Catholic school, Catholic Charities, the diocese or the foundation?
You can make a gift through a bequest in your will, beneficiary designation from a retirement plan, a trust or annuity, or a gift of life insurance, real estate or securities.
For details, contact Gina Rhodes at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Heidi Kelley at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
More online
At www.catholicnewsherald.com: Read the Funeral Guide for more in-depth information on estate planning