Your Year-End Support Makes a Lasting Impact

Your generosity continues to open doors for students at Western Illinois University. Each gift helps create opportunities, strengthen programs, and ensure our Leathernecks have the tools to succeed.

As the year comes to a close, we want to make sure you know about key giving deadlines. If you haven’t yet made your 2025 gift, there’s still time to make an impact that will carry into the year ahead.

An added benefit for you: Your gift may qualify for a 2025 tax deduction when you itemize on your federal income tax return.

Consider These Gift Options

Make an Online Gift

Make an immediate impact by supporting what you love at Western with your online gift before Dec. 31. You can also quickly and easily set up an automatic, recurring gift to occur this time each year.

To do: Click HERE to make your online gift.

Make a Gift through your IRA

If you are 70½ years or older, you can make a tax-free gift of up to $108,000 in 2025 directly from your IRA to Western Illinois University. This type of gift, called a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD), can help you meet your Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) while supporting the area of Western that means the most to you.

To do: Contact your IRA custodian and request a direct transfer to the Western Illinois University Foundation (EIN 37-6046814).

Please allow sufficient time for your gift to be processed before December 31.

Gifts of Stock

When you give stocks and other securities directly to Western, you make an outsized impact without taking money directly out of your bank account. You also avoid paying taxes on the appreciated value and qualify for a charitable deduction when you itemize your tax return.

To do: Complete the transfer by Dec. 31 or click HERE for more information.

Donor Advised Fund

Supporting Western through your Donor Advised Fund is now easier than ever. Use DAFpay on our online giving site to recommend a grant to the area of Western that means the most to you.

To do: Complete your gift through DAFpay by December 31.

Your Year-End Checklist

Check these off your list before the end of 2025:

  • Will or living trust. Review your will or trust for any life change such as a birth, death, marriage, or move to a different state. You can create one for free at FreeWill.
  • Durable powers of attorney. Make sure these documents for financial matters and for health care are current. A copy of the financial power of attorney should be given to your family members, while a copy of your health care power of attorney should be provided to both family members and health care providers.
  • Retirement plan beneficiaries. Review these and remove any beneficiary on your life insurance or retirement plans who is deceased or is a former spouse, and consider adding a nonprofit such as the Western Illinois University Foundation.
  • Life insurance policy. If you have a policy that is no longer a significant piece of your estate plan, consider making a gift by assigning ownership to Western Illinois University or making us the beneficiary.
  • Bank or brokerage accounts. Name designated heirs or Western Illinois University as a recipient of bank or brokerage account proceeds at your death.*
  • Charitable contributions. If you’ve included a gift to Western Illinois University in your estate plan, review the details of your gift and let us—and your loved ones—know of your intentions. This will guarantee that your wishes are carried out after your lifetime.
  • Safe-deposit box. Catalog the contents of your safe-deposit box. Give a written copy to a trusted family member and note any items you are holding for someone else.
  • Digital estate. Your online accounts’ usernames and up-to-date passwords, along with your smartphone and tablet passcodes, home security code, and similar data, should either be recorded in password-management software or on paper in a fireproof lockbox. Tell someone you trust how to access either of these.

*State laws govern payable-on-death accounts and transfer-on-death accounts. Please consult with your bank representative or investment adviser if you are considering these gifts.

Let’s Team Up

As we approach the end of the year, we’re happy to help ensure that you can support our mission and also get the most benefit. Please feel free to email wiufoundation@wiu.edu or call us at (309) 298-1861 for more information.

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 adviser. 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.