At Visiting Nurse & Hospice of Litchfield County, every gift helps bring comfort, dignity, and peace to patients and families during life’s most meaningful moments.
By making a planned gift, you can continue that mission far into the future — ensuring that compassionate hospice and home health care remain available for all, regardless of financial circumstances.
What Is Planned Giving?
Planned giving, sometimes called legacy giving, is a way to make a lasting contribution to the causes that matter most to you — often through your financial or estate plans.
Unlike a one-time donation, a planned gift is arranged now but typically fulfilled in the future, allowing you to:
- Support Visiting Nurse & Hospice of Litchfield County’s mission beyond your lifetime
- Potentially reduce taxes on your estate or retirement accounts
- Leave a meaningful legacy without affecting your current financial security
Planned gifts can be as simple or as customized as you wish. Many can be made through documents you already have, such as your will, retirement plan, or life insurance policy.
Ways to Give
Here are a few common ways individuals choose to make a lasting difference:
- Bequests in a Will or Trust
You can name a beneficiary in your will or living trust for a specific amount, a percentage of your estate, or the remainder after other gifts are made.
- Retirement Accounts (401(k), 403(b), IRA, etc.)
Naming Visiting Nurse & Hospice of Litchfield County as a beneficiary of your retirement plan is a simple and tax-efficient way to give.
Because nonprofit organizations like ours are tax-exempt, 100% of your remaining retirement funds can be used to support our mission — instead of being reduced by income and estate taxes if left to individuals.
You can update your beneficiary designation directly through your plan administrator, without changing your will.
- Life Insurance Policies
You can name Visiting Nurse & Hospice of Litchfield County as a beneficiary (or partial beneficiary) of a life insurance policy you no longer need. You may also choose to transfer ownership of a policy outright, which can provide immediate tax benefits.
- Charitable Trusts or Endowments
For those interested in providing ongoing support, a charitable remainder trust or endowment fund can provide lifetime income for you or your loved ones while ultimately benefiting Visiting Nurse & Hospice of Litchfield County.
- Gifts of Securities or Property
Stocks, mutual funds, or real estate can also be donated as part of a planned gift, offering potential tax advantages while supporting our programs.
Why Your Legacy Matters
Your planned gift ensures that:
- Patients receive compassionate care in the comfort of their homes.
- Families receive the emotional and spiritual support they need.
- No one is turned away because of inability to pay.
- Our nurses, rehabilitation team, medical social workers, and home health aides have the tools and training to continue this vital work.
Your kindness today builds a foundation of comfort and care for future generations.
Getting Started
Making a planned gift is simpler than you might think. Here’s how to begin:
- Decide which giving option best reflects your wishes and circumstances.
- Talk with your financial advisor or attorney about including VNHLC in your estate or beneficiary documents.
- Let us know. Sharing your plans helps us thank you and ensure your gift is used according to your wishes.
For more information, please call Joanna Geiger, Director of Community Relations, at (860) 379-8561.
By leaving a legacy gift, you’re not only honoring your values — you’re giving the gift of peace, dignity, and care to those who need it most.