The North Carolina Mason

January/February 2018 The North Carolina Mason Page 7 By Chris Richardson NC Masonic Foundation Eastern Region Director of Development Let's cut to the chase. To most people, giving to Masonic charities via a "retained life estate" sounds confusing and … well … kind of boring. It's anything but boring for those who want to leave their home or farm property to Masonic charity, because a retained life estate allows you to give, while remaining in and maintaining the house and the farm – and getting a tax deduction for your trouble. at's right – you can leave your home or farm as a truly life-changing gift for our charities, while you still call it home for as long as you live – and even longer. As a donor, your living situation remains unchanged and you can even transfer the interest of your property to a family member at the time of your death. e donor can add to the value of the home or property, as part of the agreement with the charity, making improvements, additions, or in utilizing it in other ways. You can take a tax deduction now – or later. For those seeking a tax deduc- tion, a retained life estate agreement allows a donor to claim a charitable deduction immedi- ately. ere's another benefit: this kind of agreement simplifies the estate settlement process, which relieves execu- tors of some costs, expenses and possible delays upon the donor's death. Estate taxes can also be reduced by removing the property from the taxable estate. Donors can work with our Masonic charities in advance to determine disposition of the property and its sale, and can – if the donor opts to let the charity take ownership before death -- realize the benefit of their gift while still living. is method of giving isn't for everyone, but for those with property to give, it's an attractive option. Want to know more? Contact your personal financial advisor/legal counsel or your regional NCMF representative: Dee Blake, Western Region development director, 919-395-0959 or dblake@mfnc.org Chris Richardson, Eastern Region develop- ment director, 919-690-5996 or crichardson@ mfnc.org. A living gift: Retained life estates Outreach program aiding families HOW TO GIVE CARTER By Beth Grace Mason Editor Every now and then, we all need a hand. e car breaks down. A pipe bursts. e cost of that medication you can't live without skyrockets. For those still in the workforce with a regular income and enjoying reasonably good health, it's a gener- ally pretty easy fix. You find the money somewhere. You go without on the luxuries for a while, and … all is well. But for our senior brothers and sisters living on a fixed income that has no wiggle room for calamity, every penny counts. For folks of a certain age who must wade through a governmental web of words to sign up for special services and insurance, it can be a nightmare. Since last July, the Masonic outreach program created by the Masonic and Eastern Star Home Foundation LLC has extended that helping hand to aging Masons and OES sisters around the state. Dozens of men and women have sought help and received it, often in the nick of time, allowing them to keep paying their mortgages, pay for that critical prescription, keep food in the fridge. Crystal Carter, outreach director of the Masonic and Eastern Star Outreach Program of North Caro- lina, has some wonderful stories to tell about brothers and sisters who have called the program and received immediate, effective help. e program has gone well so far, she says, although she would welcome more calls. Her goal is to be very, very busy helping Masons and OES sisters from Murphy to Manteo. Most calls come from brothers in lodges around the state, referring elderly folks they know who need some help. e program received dozens of calls after they sent out a mailing outlining the program late last year. Carter has found herself helping on many levels, even driving for hours from Greensboro to Wilm- ington to help a client get his car fixed. She has run to the grocery store locally to help out some folks who simply had no money to buy food. ere are more people than you'd expect in need of help out there, Carter says. And Masons across the state can help. e need does not have to be great or expensive. Carter has fielded calls for help on a bag or two of groceries, some cash to help pay for new dentures. e people calling in live on their own, in assisted living or in other senior housing. Carter is available to help – and will go to great lengths to help. She laughingly tells a story of an elderly man who lives in North Carolina near the Georgia border who called to ask about the program. His hearing was so bad, she couldn't communicate by phone. So she got in the car and went to talk to him in person. Sometimes, all the caller needs is guidance. Carter helped one brother reconfigure his budget so he could afford the rising cost of a heart medication he needs. "He told me he had been borrowing money to pay his rent and food because the medication was so expensive. So we looked at his budget and found a way to make things better," she said. "He said he e North Carolina Masonic and Eastern Star Outreach Program helps NC Masons, Eastern Star members, and their families who need financial and planning assistance. MESOP, a case management program, works with Masonic families to provide: Emergency or long-term financial assistance to stay in your own home Medicare, Veterans' Bene- fits, and Medicaid advice and assistance Local resource assistance and registration (Meals on Wheels, Home Health Services, etc.) Other services to assist our elderly Masonic family. For more information, contact Crystal Carter, outreach coor- dinator, at 336-601-5593 or ccarter@liveatwhitestone.org NC Masonic and Eastern Star Outreach Program see OUTREACH, page 9

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