Pay It Forward

The local church is the centerpiece of many people's lives. We marry at our church; children are baptized, and loved ones are buried here. For many, the church also serves as the hub for their social lives, the place they gather with friends to learn and grow in their faith and enjoy each other's fellowship.

People whose lives are intertwined with their church to this extent are typically faithful financial supporters too, tithing from their income during the years they are working. But what happens when retirement age hits and these same people begin planning for the transfer of wealth upon their death? Children's inheritances are determined and spouses' surviving benefits are established. Too often though, the church—the one institution that has played a pivotal role in the family's life—is overlooked in the planned giving process.

Several years ago researchers ...