Trinity University is honored to be selected as a charity of choice for bequest gifts. These contributions help ensure that Trinity’s students and faculty have the support they need in years to come.
A bequest—a gift in your will—is a simple and convenient way for you to create your legacy at Trinity University.
Your bequest gift, in any amount—$100 to $100 million—can be a specific dollar amount or a percentage of your estate. Your bequest may be given for general use, or you can designate a specific purpose. Many alumni, faculty, staff, parents and friends establish endowments that honor the memory of a family member, a loved one, a classmate or a beloved faculty member. Since only a portion of an endowment fund’s earnings are available for spending annually, they create a perpetual gift that supports students and faculty for centuries.
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Free ResourceExamples of various types of bequests
Specific bequests are used to make a gift of a specific dollar amount or specific asset (such as securities, real estate or personal property).
Residuary bequests are used to give all or a portion of the remainder of your estate after payment of expenses and any specific amounts designated to family, friends and other beneficiaries.
Including Trinity University in your will
The following includes several examples of suggested bequest wording to benefit Trinity University.
Each individual situation is unique; therefore, these examples include only some of the possible gift opportunities. We encourage you to discuss your intentions with Trinity’s Office of Planned Giving to ensure that your wishes will be properly followed, recognized and stewarded.
Because a will is an important legal document, you should seek an attorney's help. To assist you with this important process we offer suggested wording below.
Percentage of estate for unrestricted purposes
"I give to Trinity University, a not-for-profit organization located at One Trinity Place, San Antonio, Texas 78212 (Federal Tax ID Number 74-1109633), _____ percent (%) of the remainder of my estate to advance its education mission.”
Percentage of estate to establish an endowed fund
"I give to Trinity University, a not-for-profit organization located at One Trinity Place, San Antonio, Texas 78212 (Federal Tax ID Number 74-1109633), _____ percent (%) of the remainder of my estate to establish the ________ Endowed Fund. The portion of this fund available for spending each year shall be used to ___________________________. Contributions may be added to the Fund at any time.
If changed circumstances should at some future time make it impossible or impractical to carry out exactly the above purpose in the above manner, then Trinity University’s Board of Trustees may change the purpose and manner as near as is practical to the original intent.”
Specific amount for unrestricted purposes
"I give to Trinity University, a not-for-profit organization located at One Trinity Place, San Antonio, Texas 78212 (Federal Tax ID Number 74-1109633), the sum of $_______ in cash (or ________ shares of ________stock) to advance its education mission."
Specific amount for specific purposes
"I give, devise, and bequeath to Trinity University, a not-for-profit organization located at One Trinity Place, San Antonio, Texas 78212 (Federal Tax ID Number 74-1109633), the sum of $_______ in cash or in-kind (or ________ shares of ________stock) to be used for __________________________________________ at Trinity University.
If changed circumstances should at some future time make it impossible or impractical to carry out exactly the above purpose in the above manner, then Trinity University’s Board of Trustees may change the purpose and manner as near as is practical to the original intent.”
Designating the purpose of a bequest
Unrestricted: The most impactful bequest is unrestricted, allowing the funds to be used wherever Trinity’s need is greatest, and enhancing the University’s future ability to be resilient, creative and enterprising, and, most importantly, committed to excellence in the liberal arts and sciences.
Restricted: You may designate your bequest gift to support a special program or purpose that reflects your interests (specific departments, professorships, endowment or scholarships).
If the bequest is restricted to a specific purpose, it is important that the following wording be added at the end of the provision. This will ensure that, in the remote possibility a specified purpose may cease to need funds in the future, an alternate use for the bequest may be determined.
"If changed circumstances should at some future time make it impossible or impractical to carry out exactly the above purpose in the above manner, then Trinity University’s Board of Trustees may change the purpose and manner as near as is practical to the original intent.”
Beneficiary Designation
Another way to remember Trinity in your plans is by naming the University as a beneficiary of a life insurance policy, retirement plan, savings account and similar activities. You can arrange to do this by contacting the administrator of your account. In most cases, you can name Trinity as a percentage beneficiary or to receive a specific amount. Depending on the plan or type of account, the basic information you will need to provide on the beneficiary designation form is: Trinity University, One Trinity Place, San Antonio, Texas 78212 (Federal Tax ID Number 74-1109633).
If you have a specific designation for a bequest or beneficiary designation, you may want to include that information, too. If the gift is anticipated to be $50,000, you could establish a student research, library book, or study abroad endowment fund in your or another’s name; if the gift is $100,000 or more, a scholarship endowment fund could be created in your or another's name. If the bequest gift is under $50,000, the University's practice is to add the gift to the TU Memorial Scholarship Endowment Fund. The gift can also be designated for the University's Greatest Need, which would be selected by the University when the gift is received.
Trinity's Heritage Society is the recognition society for dedicated individuals who have thoughtfully remembered Trinity in their estate plans and share in shaping Trinity's future. We do ask donors to complete a simple, one-page Estate Gift Intention Form and become a member of the Heritage Society. You may choose to remain an anonymous member of the Heritage Society and do not need to specify an amount of the gift. Documenting your estate gifts allows the University to thank you for your thoughtfulness and kindness.
Please contact us to discuss your intentions and to share the news of your future gift. Thank you!