Florida Woman’s Will Gifts $1 Million to Charity

A Florida woman has left $1 million to the Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee in her estate documents. The woman, who died just a day after turning 92 years old in March, used her will to bequeath the charitable donation to the federation, an organization that promotes Jewish life and projects both at home and abroad. The woman’s husband died in 2002.

The woman, who was born in Iraq in the 1920s, suffered because of the serious regional upheaval that occurred in the aftermath of World War II. The woman’s father mysteriously disappeared, and her family was ripped apart after her brother fled from being drafted into the Iraqi army. Along the way, the woman received assistance from a Muslim friend who shielded her from anti-Semitic groups in the region. The woman moved to New York in 1964 with her husband. After his death, she met a boyfriend at a retirement home, where she was active in leading classes and taking exciting vacations.

This woman was just an ordinary human being – admittedly with an extraordinary past – who decided to pass on a significant amount of her estate to a charitable organization through her will and testament. This is a common choice among Floridians with children, but those who have fewer family members may also find donating their estate to charity to be an enticing idea. When you have few younger relatives to receive your inheritance, it may be time to start thinking about other options.

A Florida estate planning attorney may help clients learn more about structuring their wills for charitable donations. Residents may choose to donate the entirety of their estate or perhaps just a portion. Leaving money behind for good works is an honorable endeavor that can be facilitated through responsible estate planning.

Source: Herald-Tribune, “Woman leaves $1 million to Jewish federation“, Billy Cox, July 9, 2014