How One Conversation Yielded a $200,000 Legacy

January 2020 | Estate Planning and Bequests

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Before Dortha Dever's death in 2015, the successful businesswoman left her estate to the Oklahoma City Community Foundation, allocating the value of her assets to support her charitable goals. Supporting education and giving back to her community was important to Dortha. That's why long before her death, she sat down with her attorney David Hartman and had a conversation about how she could continue to make a difference long after she was gone.

After listening to Dortha’s charitable goals, David suggested they set up a meeting with Joe Carter, vice president of development at the Oklahoma City Community Foundation. David knew the Community Foundation would help find the best way to support her diverse charitable interests that ranged from medical research to housing for the elderly.

The Community Foundation helped Dortha choose giving options right for her. Because she wanted to see the seeds of her generosity bloom while she was alive, she chose to use the IRA Charitable Rollover to fund a scholarship that immediately began granting awards to female students studying business at Oklahoma City University. Dortha also chose to use her estate to establish a Legacy Fund that would support four charitable causes after her death.

When Dortha elected to take Mr. Hartman's advice, neither of them realized the impact they would make on the OCU students and the charities her fund supports. Her funds have awarded more than $115,000 in scholarships and more than $108,000 in grants to the charities she cared about. Because these funds are permanent, they will continue supporting Dortha's charitable goals for years to come.

Do you have goals for your clients in 2020? Don’t hesitate to contact Joe Carter at the Community Foundation to help you offer tax-wise giving solutions your clients will love.