Originally published: February 15, 2017 | Last updated: December 11, 2025
Our website demands total protection for all documents which users create through our platform. We cannot access information contained in any specific Will. The service allows us to view combined information from an encrypted database which shows user selections for our platform. We cannot connect this information to individual accounts. The research study gained its data from this specific information which serves as its data foundation.
What Is Planned Giving and Why Does It Matter?
Planned giving is the practice of leaving money or assets to a charity through your Last Will and Testament. USLegalWills.com has helped numerous Americans create their Wills through our services which also let them include charitable bequests in their documents.
The National Center for Charitable Statistics reported that Americans gave $258.51 billion to charity through individual donations during 2014 which represents a 7.1% growth from the previous year. The 2008 economic recession sparked a continuing rise in personal charitable contributions but these donations have yet to reach their previous peak before the recession.
The number of Americans who want to donate to charity keeps rising yet Russell James discovered that only 5-6% of people over 55 years old choose to include charitable donations in their estate plans. About 95% of Americans do not include charitable donations in their Wills. The statistic emerges because about half of American citizens have not established a Will which means they cannot create a planned giving arrangement.
Why Should You Include a Charitable Bequest in Your Will?
People who want to donate to charity encounter obstacles which prevent them from giving large amounts of money during their lifetime. A charitable bequest solves this problem because:
- The funds no longer require protection because your donation will occur after you pass away which protects your financial stability
- People can donate larger amounts of money because bequests tend to exceed what they would have given while they were alive
- People can change their will through a later document which will cancel any previous bequests when circumstances evolve.
- You can add it to your Will through a simple process which requires only a few sentences in your document.
- The knowledge that your estate will create positive impact brings you peace throughout your life.
How Was This Study Conducted?
USLegalWills.com collected these statistics from more than 10,000 Wills which users created during a single year of operation. The data shows actual Wills which real Americans made instead of using survey data or questionnaire answers.
Important caveats:
- People can make changes to their Wills during their life so bequests will change over time these numbers show only what exists at this moment.
- USLegalWills.com operates as an affordable estate planning portal which means it probably does not attract many clients who have extremely high net worth.
- The Australian research which examined probate documents discovered that statistical evidence did not prove Will preparation methods through self-writing or online services or legal assistance affected the inclusion of charitable donations in Wills.
Who Is Including Charitable Bequests in Their Wills?
Our platform shows an equal distribution of male and female users who make up 44% and 56% respectively. During 2015-16 users who created Wills selected charitable bequests at a rate of 7.2%.
Most charitable bequests go to familiar organizations – local churches, franchise community charities like the Salvation Army, or causes the donor has a personal connection to. Our service prompts users about charitable giving generally but does not promote specific charities, meaning donors must enter charity details themselves.
What Types of Bequests Do People Make?
| Bequest Type | Percentage | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Specific dollar amount | 59% | $5,000 to the Salvation Army |
| Percentage of residual estate | 34% | 10% of remaining estate to local church |
| Specific asset | 7% | Painting collection to an art museum |
Which Charitable Sectors Receive the Most Bequests?
The researchers assigned charitable donations to specific categories through their classification system.
| Sector | Description | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Church/Spiritual | All religious denominations and organizations | Local churches, religious leaders |
| Animal | Animal rescue, zoos, humane societies, wildlife | World Wildlife Fund, ASPCA |
| Community | Organizations improving local communities | Salvation Army, United Way, shelters |
| Health | Disease-specific charities | Cancer research, Alzheimer’s, Heart & Stroke |
| Hospital Foundations | Specific hospital fundraising arms | Local hospital foundations |
| Education | Universities, schools, colleges | Alumni donations |
| Environment | Conservation (non-animal) | Greenpeace, Nature Conservancy |
| International Aid | Global humanitarian organizations | World Vision, Oxfam, Doctors Without Borders |
| Arts | Galleries, museums, musical organizations | Local art galleries, choirs |
| Special Interest | Professional bodies, memorial funds, clubs | Hobby groups, societies |
| Politics | Political parties and organizations | Party donations |
Church/spiritual charities receive the most planned giving donations while animal-related charities come in second place. Arts and political organizations receive the smallest number of bequests.
How Much Do People Leave to Charity in Their Wills?
The total mean average charitable bequest given as a specific dollar amount is $9,389.
Average Specific-Dollar Bequests by Sector
| Sector | Average Bequest |
|---|---|
| Education | ~$20,000 |
| Church/Spiritual | ~$10,000 |
| Animal | ~$5,000 |
| Overall Average | $9,389 |
Education receives the highest average donation – likely because alumni commonly donate to their post-secondary institutions, and those donors tend to have higher incomes.
What About Residual Estate Percentages?
Residual estate bequests can represent significant sums. People who want to leave around $340,000 for their estate can create a valuable donation through even the smallest portion of their assets.
The average percentage of residual estate left to charity across all sectors is approximately 14%, which translates to roughly $47,600.
| Sector | Avg % of Residual Estate | Est. Dollar Value |
|---|---|---|
| Animal | 21% | ~$71,400 |
| Environment | 20% | ~$68,000 |
| Hospital Foundations | 18% | ~$61,200 |
| Arts | 9% | ~$30,600 |
| Politics | 2% | ~$6,800 |
An interesting pattern emerges: animal, environmental, community, and hospital foundation charities receive lower specific-dollar amounts but higher residual estate percentages. The data indicates that people who donate to these causes probably earn less money but they dedicate more of their estate to charity. Education donors, by contrast, tend to be higher earners who leave smaller percentages that translate to larger absolute amounts.
How Is the Total Value of Charitable Bequests Distributed?
When combining all bequest types (specific amounts, residual percentages, and specific assets), the total distribution across charitable sectors is:
| Sector | Share of Total Value |
|---|---|
| Church/Spiritual | 27% |
| Community | 17% |
| Animal | 16% |
| Health | ~10% |
| Hospital Foundations | ~8% |
| Education | ~7% |
| Environment | ~5% |
| International Aid | ~4% |
| Special Interest | ~3% |
| Arts | ~1% |
| Politics | <1% |
The distribution follows the number of bequests in each category with only slight deviations between them. The main recipients of bequests consist of Church and spiritual organizations which receive the most numerous and valuable donations.
How Can You Include a Charitable Bequest in Your Will?
The process of adding a charitable bequest to your Will is simple to complete. USLegalWills.com offers a dedicated section for charitable giving during the Will-writing process. You can specify:
- A specific dollar amount to one or more charities
- A percentage of your residual estate after other distributions
- A specific asset such as a vehicle, artwork, or collection
Even leaving just 1% of your estate to charity can make a meaningful difference. On a $340,000 estate, that is $3,400 – a significant contribution to any organization.
If you are a charity interested in partnering with USLegalWills.com to promote planned giving, please contact us at [email protected].
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He has over 20 years of experience helping people to write their Will and other estate planning documents. He has been interviewed by many of the major news media outlets, and has contributed to articles in The New York Times, NY Metro Parents, U.S. News & World Report, and other leading publications. He has also contributed to a number of financial planning books.
Throughout his career, Tim has written extensively on the subject of Will writing and estate planning.
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