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  6. Longtime Volunteer Joins the Mayne Heritage Society

Longtime Volunteer Joins the Mayne Heritage Society

Dr. Bill and Molly Sasser have supported the College with their time and treasure for many years.

Dr. Bill and Molly Sasser have supported the College with their time and treasure for many years.

Second vice president. Secretary of the board of governors. Foundation board member. These are just a few of the ways that Dr. William "Bill" F. Sasser, MD, FACS, a thoracic surgeon in St. Louis, Missouri, has served the American College of Surgeons since becoming a Fellow in 1971.

You may also know him as the host of the Fellows Leadership Society Luncheon, which he has overseen since 2006. Dr. Sasser and his wife, Molly, had supported the Foundation in almost every way, including a major gift that they gave in conjunction with their son, William F. Sasser, III, in 2006.

However, Dr. Bill and Molly Sasser recently confirmed their intent to join the Mayne Heritage Society—the Foundation's planned giving program—and are now donors through all giving societies within the ACS Foundation.

"I was recruited by Bob Berry to serve on the Committee on Development (the Foundation's precursor), once my term as second vice president expired. I wanted to continue to serve the College, and I found that its philanthropic programs were a compelling way to do it," Dr. Sasser explains. He continued to serve once the Committee on Development transitioned into the ACS Foundation and has been a board member for six years.

He expounded on the reasons to serve the College and ACS Foundation, saying that he had received so much in both his professional and personal life, through continuing education and networking with his peers. Directing his legacy gift commitment to the Foundation's Sustaining Fund was important to Dr. Sasser so that he could help the College where it is needed the most.

"Having the choice of where the gift goes is important, and I encourage more Fellows to take advantage of this," he says. The gift will also increase both recognition of the Fellows Leadership Society (Presidents' Circle) and the 1913 Legacy Campaign (Major Gifts Level).

"Giving through my estate plans was an easy way to give back to the College for all I've received. I simply informed my attorney and provided him with bequest language to include the College as a beneficiary. It feels great to know that I'm not only supporting the mission of the College now, but into the future," he says.

Learn More
If you are interested in joining Dr. Bill and Molly Sasser in the Mayne Heritage Society, please contact Beth White Carona, CFRE at bcarona@facs.org or 312-202-5506. You can also visit our website to explore ways for ways to make a lasting gift to the ACS Foundation and learn about the tax benefits you can receive through gift planning.

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Information contained herein was accurate at the time of posting. The information on this website is not intended as legal or tax advice. For such advice, please consult an attorney or tax advisor. Figures cited in any examples are for illustrative purposes only. References to tax rates include federal taxes only and are subject to change. State law may further impact your individual results. California residents: Annuities are subject to regulation by the State of California. Payments under such agreements, however, are not protected or otherwise guaranteed by any government agency or the California Life and Health Insurance Guarantee Association. Oklahoma residents: A charitable gift annuity is not regulated by the Oklahoma Insurance Department and is not protected by a guaranty association affiliated with the Oklahoma Insurance Department. South Dakota residents: Charitable gift annuities are not regulated by and are not under the jurisdiction of the South Dakota Division of Insurance.

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A charitable bequest is one or two sentences in your will or living trust that leave to the American College of Surgeons Foundation a specific item, an amount of money, a gift contingent upon certain events or a percentage of your estate.

an individual or organization designated to receive benefits or funds under a will or other contract, such as an insurance policy, trust or retirement plan

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the price a willing buyer and willing seller can agree on

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A donor advised fund is an account that you set up but which is managed by a nonprofit organization. You contribute to the account, which grows tax-free. You can recommend how much (and how often) you want to distribute money from that fund to the ACS Foundation or other charities. You cannot direct the gifts.

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Real estate can be a personal residence, vacation home, timeshare property, farm, commercial property or undeveloped land.

A charitable remainder trust provides you or other named individuals income each year for life or a period not exceeding 20 years from assets you give to the trust you create.

You give assets to a trust that pays our organization set payments for a number of years, which you choose. The longer the length of time, the better the potential tax savings to you. When the term is up, the remaining trust assets go to you, your family or other beneficiaries you select. This is an excellent way to transfer property to family members at a minimal cost.

You fund this type of trust with cash or appreciated assets—and may qualify for a federal income tax charitable deduction when you itemize. You can also make additional gifts; each one also qualifies for a tax deduction. The trust pays you, each year, a variable amount based on a fixed percentage of the fair market value of the trust assets. When the trust terminates, the remaining principal goes to the ACS Foundation as a lump sum.

You fund this trust with cash or appreciated assets—and may qualify for a federal income tax charitable deduction when you itemize. Each year the trust pays you or another named individual the same dollar amount you choose at the start. When the trust terminates, the remaining principal goes to the ACS Foundation as a lump sum.

A beneficiary designation clearly identifies how specific assets will be distributed after your death.

A charitable gift annuity involves a simple contract between you and the ACS Foundation where you agree to make a gift to the ACS Foundation and we, in return, agree to pay you (and someone else, if you choose) a fixed amount each year for the rest of your life.
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