Preface
Alchemy was a medieval practice that relied on elixirs, mysterious incantations and strange rituals to cure ills, prolong life, and, most famously, transform base metals into gold. Life insurance is sometimes promoted as a modern alchemist’s tool because of
its ability to provide significant cash payments and to allow the accumulation of wealth. So too, in some instances, has planned giving been touted as an alchemy of sorts, giving the appearance of generating substantial benefits for the donor, beyond the mere retention of an income interest while fulfilling a charitable goal.
Perhaps it is inevitable, then, that life insurance and planned giving should regularly find common intersections.
Charitable gift planners owe it to their donors,
clients, and charitable institutions to understand the
workings of charitable gift plans and to be willing to
objectively explore new and innovative proposals.
However, considerable time, effort, and resources
would be wasted pursing each and every possibility
