Planned Giving
Plan your gift for the future.
Through thoughtful planning today, you can make a lasting difference for patients, families, and communities throughout North Carolina and beyond. Planned gifts to UNC Health and the UNC School of Medicine can strengthen your personal philanthropic goals—and secure lasting resources for exceptional patient care, transformative research, and the education of future healthcare leaders.
Explore the options below and you can also download our legacy planning brochure. We are here to help you get started. Please contact:
Kara Raynor
Vice President, Philanthropy
[email protected] | 919-445-6698
Future Gifts That Extend Your Impact
Include UNC Health Foundation in your long-term plans to support care, research, and education in the future. Bequests and beneficiary designations are a simple and flexible way to plan for a future gift—requiring no immediate financial commitment while allowing you to retain full control of your assets today.
Bequests
A bequest is a gift made through your will or living trust, and is one of the most common ways to give. By including UNC Health Foundation in your will or trust, you can designate a specific gift to ensure future funding for what matters most.
You can structure your gift to reflect your goals and priorities, including:
- A specific dollar amount
- A percentage of your estate
- Specific assets or property
- The remainder of your estate after other distributions
Because charitable bequests are generally free from estate tax, your gift can have its full intended impact to advance patient care, research, and education at UNC Health. You can update your bequest at any time as your circumstances or priorities change.
Beneficiary Designations
Some assets pass directly to beneficiaries outside of your will or living trust. These are controlled by beneficiary designation forms that you complete through your financial institution or plan administrator. Naming UNC Health Foundation as a beneficiary of these accounts is a simple way to make a meaningful gift.
You can designate the Foundation as a beneficiary of:
- Retirement accounts (such as IRAs or 401(k)s)
- Life insurance policies
- Brokerage or bank accounts
Retirement accounts, in particular, can be among the most heavily taxed assets when left to individuals, as withdrawals are subject to income tax. As a qualified charity, UNC Health Foundation does not pay income tax, allowing the full value of your gift to support care, research, and workforce education.
Updating a beneficiary is typically straightforward and can often be completed by filling out a form online or through your provider. Because these designations operate independently of your will or trust, they offer a simple yet powerful way to sustain the causes you care most about.
Tax-Smart Giving From Assets
Give in ways that maximize both your impact and your tax benefits. These options allow you to use appreciated or tax-advantaged assets to accelerate exceptional care, life-changing research, and innovative education across UNC Health and UNC School of Medicine now.
Give from Your IRA
If you are age 70½ or older, you can make a gift directly from your IRA through a qualified charitable distribution (QCD). This is a simple, tax-efficient way to support UNC Health and UNC School of Medicine while meeting your required minimum distribution.
Benefits may include:
- Avoiding taxes on transfers of up to $111,000 annually
- Satisfying your required minimum distribution (RMD)
- Reducing your overall taxable income, even if you do not itemize deductions
Because these gifts are made directly from your IRA, they can be an efficient way to give using funds you may not need for living expenses. Many donors choose this option as a simple way to make an annual gift.
To get started, contact your IRA administrator to request a qualified charitable distribution. You can explore additional resources here, and reach out to us with any questions.
Give with Stock or Securities
Donating appreciated stock or securities is a tax-efficient way to support UNC Health Foundation. By giving stock that has increased in value, you may be able to avoid capital gains taxes while also receiving a charitable income tax deduction for the full fair market value of your gift.
Gifts of appreciated securities allow you to make a meaningful contribution—often at a lower cost than giving cash. Many donors choose this option to maximize their impact, especially with long-held investments.
Stock gifts are processed through the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Our team will connect you with the appropriate partners and guide you through each step.
Here's how to get started:
Contact your broker or financial advisor to initiate a transfer of shares to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Learn more about gifts of securities and stocks here. Instructions for your broker can be found here.
Notify UNC Health Foundation—and your development officer, if applicable—of your gift so we can help ensure it is properly directed and acknowledged.
To notify us of your stock gift or request transfer instructions, please complete this form or contact us directly at [email protected].
Real Estate
A gift of real estate—such as a primary residence, vacation home, farmland, or commercial property—can provide transformative support while unlocking the value of an appreciated asset.
Benefits may include:
- Avoiding capital gains tax on appreciated property
- Receiving a charitable income tax deduction
- Making a significant impact through a major gift
Real estate gifts can also be structured in flexible ways, including retaining the right to live in your home for your lifetime. For many donors, this approach allows them to make a transformational gift while preserving financial security. Our team can work with you and your advisors to explore options and determine whether a real estate gift aligns with your goals.
Give Today. Receive Income for Life.
Advance the future of healthcare while creating a reliable source of income for yourself or your loved ones. These giving options allow you to make a meaningful gift today while receiving payments over time.
Life Income Giving Options
It’s possible to support the causes you care about while also meeting personal financial goals—such as retirement income or providing for loved ones. By making a gift to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Foundation for the benefit of UNC Health, you can receive income for life while contributing to a cause that you care deeply about.
You can structure a life income gift in several ways:
Carolina Annuity
Carolina Annuity (Charitable Gift Annuity) provides fixed payments for life, either immediately or at a future date.
Carolina Charitable Unitrust
Carolina Charitable Unitrust (Charitable Remainder Unitrust) pays a percentage of the trust’s value each year, which may grow over time.
Carolina Charitable Flip Unitrust
Carolina Charitable Flip Unitrust is designed for real estate or other illiquid assets, with income beginning at a future date.
Carolina Charitable Annuity Trust
Carolina Charitable Annuity Trust (Charitable Remainder Annuity Trust) provides fixed annual payments based on the initial value of the trust.
Contact Us
Each option offers different levels of flexibility and income, depending on your goals.
We look forward to answering your questions and helping you get started. Please contact:
Kara Raynor
Vice President, Philanthropy
[email protected] | 919-445-6698
Join a Community of Impact
When you include UNC Health or the UNC School of Medicine in your estate plans, you become part of the Gerrard Society—a community of inspired individuals helping advance care, research, and education.
This tradition began in 1797, when Major Charles Gerrard’s gift of land helped build Gerrard Hall. For more than two centuries, gifts like his have supported scholarships, research, and programs that are at the heart of the University’s mission.
As a member, you join a legacy of investing in the future—ensuring UNC Health and the School of Medicine continue to thrive for years to come.