Foundation
The St. Mary Catholic Schools (SMCS) Foundation paves the way for you to make a legacy gift that will be forever etched in time as a meaningful gift you shared with future generations of Zephyrs.
The SMCS Foundation, founded in 2018, is a separate legal entity that allows you to make gifts from wills, bequests, life insurance, retirement plans, stock, or cash that are meant to benefit St. Mary Catholic Schools in a long-term sustainable manner. Contact Kathleen McCurdy, Director of Advancement, advancement@smcatholicschools.org, 920-722-7796, ext. 201. to create your legacy today.
The SMCS Foundation firmly aligns with school system initiatives and needs, as it is managed by a local Board of Directors who have a passion and affinity for SMCS.
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2024-25 Foundation Board of Directors
Ryan Wirth, Foundation President
Helen Englebert, Vice President
Terry Jack, Foundation Treasurer
Jim Britt, Secretary
Lori Vegso, At-Large Member
Dan McKenna, SMCS President
Lance Ernsting, SMCS Director of Business Services
Kathleen McCurdy, SMCS Director of Advancement
Josh Diedrich, Representative of the Bishop, Diocese of Green Bay
Planned Giving
Traditionally, people think of planned gifts as estate planning. While that is one option, there are many other ways for you to make a lasting gift that will sustain SMCS well into the future.
- Wills, Trusts or Bequests: When you designate a gift for SMCS, whether a set amount, a percentage of your estate or property, or the residual amount, this strategy can reduce or eliminate estate taxes.
- Qualified Charitable Distributions: Individual retirement arrangement (IRA) owners age 70½ or over can transfer up to $100,000 to charity tax-free each year. These transfers, known as qualified charitable distributions or QCDs, offer eligible older Americans a great way to easily give to charity before the end of the year. And, for those who are at least 73 years old, QCDs count toward the IRA owner's required minimum distribution (RMD) for the year. We are happy to help you set this up at your convenience.
- Life Insurance: By assigning SMCS as a beneficiary on your life insurance policy, annuity, IRA, CD, bank account or other assets, you can earn tax benefits today and considerable savings in the future.
- Retirement Plans: Unless designating differently, amounts withdrawn from retirement accounts can be taxable to you and your heirs. Enjoy little or no tax penalties with an offsetting charitable deduction to benefit SMCS.
- Cash: Through checks and electronic transfers, gifts of cash to SMCS outside of an IRA are not limited, and can reduce income tax liability. IRA gifts have generous limits.
- Securities & Stocks: SMCS can accept gifts of stocks or bonds for which you will pay no capital gains tax. The current market value determines the value of your gift.
- Charitable Gift Annuity: When you make a gift of cash or securities in exchange for guaranteed payments for life, the remainder of your gift will be used to benefit SMCS after your passing.
- IRA Charitable Rollover: By designating SMCS as the beneficiary of your IRA , the full value of the gift is transferred tax-free at your death, and your estate receives a charitable deduction rather than having the account depleted through estate and income taxes.