Where There's a Will, There's a Way

If you do not have a will, the decisions regarding the distribution of your estate will be made by others than yourself. The state in which you reside will most likely have statutes that direct who will be the beneficiaries of your estate.

Bequests have been of paramount importance to Moravian College and Moravian Theological Seminary. They have provided for scholarships, faculty support, restoration, visiting professorships, fellowships, library support of all kinds, pianos, art, and restricted and unrestricted endowment. The list goes on and on. Without the thoughtful remembrances in their estate plans by so many alumni, parents, College friends, and Seminary friends, Moravian would not have the bright future it enjoys today. Provisions in wills and living trusts have provided people with the ability to support Moravian in ways they could not comprehend doing during their lifetimes. The bequests have been small and they have been large, but each and every one was given to reflect the impact Moravian College and Moravian Theological Seminary had on their lives and on those around them.

A will contains provisions for the disposition of property. These provisions, referred to as bequests, may take a variety of forms so as to achieve different objectives for the person planning his or her will. The choice as to the type of bequest used to benefit Moravian College and/or Moravian Theological Seminary will depend completely on the donor’s unique circumstances and personal objectives.

  • Specific Bequests are the most widely used method for providing for Moravian through a will. The bequest can be a fixed dollar amount, a specified asset, or a specific residuary amount of the person’s estate.

  • Residual Bequests can provide for the “rest, residue and remainder” to benefit Moravian College after all other specific bequests of the estate have been satisfied. A residual bequest assures that all other beneficiaries have been provided for.

  • Contingent Bequests provide for the orderly distribution of an estate when there are no surviving beneficiaries.

For more information on bequests, charitable gift annuities, and charitable remainder trusts, or for confidential examples, please call or write:

Moravian College
Moravian Theological Seminary
Office of Development
1200 Main Street
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania 18018
800 429-9437 (toll free)
610 861-1336