brown on green, A Regular column about finances

Trust

Trust is a word we encounter regularly at the Free Will Baptist Foundation.

We manage trusts for a variety of charitable agreements: gift annuity trusts for individuals that pay a fixed-dollar amount for life; charitable remainder trusts that also pay an income for life and possibly for a fixed period of years beyond the life of the donor.

Endowment trusts managed by the Foundation preserve principal and pay out earnings to various Free Will Baptist ministries as directed by the donor. We also manage revocable trusts currently paying 2.75% for both Free Will Baptist organizations and individuals who either directly or indirectly benefit ministries.

While managing these financial trusts is important to us, a second meaning for this word is even more important. Webster defines trust as confidence: reliance or resting of the mind on the integrity, veracity, justice, friendship, or other sound principle of another person or thing. Trust is not something to be given or taken lightly.

Honesty

The Foundation has worked hard for 35 years to earn your trust. We have done this in many ways. We strive to be completely aboveboard in all we do. We believe it best to always tell the truth, even when the truth hurts. We have invested the various funds we manage in an appropriate manner to achieve the goals of the trusts.

We sometimes err on the side of investing too conservatively; even so, we experience negative earnings from time to time. Whether the earnings are positive or negative, our pledge is to report them to you faithfully, just as they are. Thankfully, our history shows a reasonable rate of return through the years.

Confidentiality

We earn your trust by being confidential with your personal information. Planned gifts require us to accumulate a great deal of information. Some of it relates to what the individual wants to do through his or her gift; other items are required for accurate calculations. We also need detailed information concerning your financial position. This information is never disclosed to anyone for any reason.

We earn your trust by never trying to tell an individual which ministry he or she should benefit. The donor is always in the driver’s seat. You tell us whom you want to benefit, and we help you find a way to do so.

Professionalism

We earn your trust by the conduct of our office. We operate the Foundation according to sound business practices. We act as a fiduciary for your planned gift. Our job as a fiduciary is to walk the tightrope of managing trusts in such a way that we are equally responsible to benefit the donor and, at the same time, deliver to the ministry the original value of the gift or more.

Proven Track Record

We work to earn your trust by doing a good job and providing a lengthy track record of good returns. Many ministries and individuals have had trusts with the Foundation for a long time. We have earned their trust through performance. We manage funds for all the departments of the National Association. Many state associations have trusted us with various funds as well.

Chances are, one of your favorite ministries has already placed its trust in the Foundation. We encourage you to ask them about our performance. The Foundation has seen incredible growth through its history but especially over the last 23 years. Since 1992, the Foundation has grown from $920,000 to over $62 million.

New Areas of Service

In recent years, we have developed new facets of ministry. We now offer estate planning seminars to churches, and these sessions provide much more than information. Through our partner Cornerstone Estate Planning in Atlanta, we connect Free Will Baptist families to local attorneys to prepare estate planning documents. Within five years, the Foundation will also begin making grants to our ministries, impacting Kingdom work in a way we have never done before.

At Free Will Baptist Foundation, trust is not just what we do but who we are. We are trustworthy. Call 877-336-7575 to begin trusting us with your money today.

About the Writer: David Brown, CPA, became director of the Free Will Baptist Foundation in 2007. Send questions to David at david@nafwb.org. To learn how the Foundation can help you become a more effective giver, call 877-336-7575.