Bequests and Estate Planning
The importance of bequest gifts to Reed cannot be overstated; the college was established by the will of Amanda Reed over a century ago, and since then, bequests have consistently been the single largest source of support the college receives. We hope you will join the thousands of alumni, faculty, staff, parents, and friends who have included Reed in their estate plans.
If you have already included Reed in your estate plans, we hope you’ll let us know by contacting our office or completing this form. Informing us of your bequest enables the college to thank you as well as to ensure that your gift will be used exactly as you intend.
To create a bequest gift for Reed
If you are creating or updating your estate plans and would like to include Reed, the gift planning office can help explore the many options available to you.
- Bequest assets: Typical bequests include direct gifts of cash, personal property, real estate, securities, insurance policies, and retirement assets. You may also use these assets to create a testamentary life income gift, which can provide income to another individual for their life with the remainder coming to Reed.
- Designating a bequest: Most bequests are unrestricted and used for the college’s highest priorities or areas of greatest need at the time the gift is received. You may also choose to designate your bequest for such purposes as financial aid or faculty and student research. You may even create a named endowed fund with a bequest! If you choose to do so, please contact us for information on endowment minimums first.
Here is some sample language that we hope will be helpful to you or your estate planner:
To create a general bequest: "I give (_____dollars) (or a specific asset) (or ____percent of the rest, residue, and remainder of my estate) to the Reed Institute, known as 'Reed College,' Portland, Oregon, for its general purposes."
To create a bequest for a specific purpose: "I give (_____dollars) (or a specific asset) (or ____percent of the rest, residue, and remainder of my estate) to the Reed Institute, known as 'Reed College,' Portland, Oregon, to be used for the following purpose: (state the purpose, such as to establish an endowed scholarship fund, or to provide unrestricted support.)"
The information on this site is not intended to provide specific advice about your estate plan or to recommend a specific course of action. We suggest you consult your professional advisers before taking any action, then contact Reed's gift planning office at 503-777-7573 or at giftplanning@reed.edu to learn more about these giving strategies.
Executors and Estate Administrators
If you are an executor, estate administrator, trust officer or other professional assisting with establishing a bequest for Reed College or distributing assets from an estate that includes Reed College, please contact Reed's gift planning office. The college is grateful for the generosity of our alumni and friends who include Reed in their estates and we deeply appreciate the work of professionals who help convey these gifts on their behalf. Visit the professional advisers page for more information.