Planned Giving: Leaving a Lifesaving Legacy
Help ensure the best chance for survival for someone you love.
When you include Medic One Foundation in your will, trust, or estate plan, you help guarantee that world-class emergency care will always be there for your family, friends, and neighbors.
Planned gifts are for everyone—not just the wealthy. Even a modest gift can create a lifesaving impact for years to come. Whatever the size, your gift provides critical support for Medic One Foundation, advances our mission, and helps save more lives.
Wills or Bequests
Among the most popular and flexible ways to give, a bequest is a simple provision in your will or living trust that provides a gift to Medic One Foundation. A bequest can be created during your initial estate planning or added later with a simple amendment.
You may name Medic One Foundation as the beneficiary of a specific dollar amount, property, or percentage of your estate. Bequests can be outright or contingent upon the death of another beneficiary.
Types of Bequests
If you are considering a bequest to Medic One Foundation, here are several possibilities:
- A cash bequest
- A gift of property
- A share of the residue of your estate
- The remainder of a trust after the lifetime of a family member
Sample Language for Your Attorney
These examples may be helpful in facilitating your bequest. Please consult your attorney to determine what is appropriate for your circumstances.
Specific Bequest
“I give, devise, and bequeath [insert the sum or description of property] to Medic One Foundation, 11747 NE 1st Street, Suite 310, Bellevue, WA 98005.”
Residuary Bequest
“I give, devise, and bequeath to Medic One Foundation, 11747 NE 1st Street, Suite 310, Bellevue, WA 98005, all [or a portion, e.g., fifty percent] of the rest, residue, and remainder of my estate.”
Contingent Bequest
“In the event that [insert name of primary beneficiary] shall not survive me, then I give, devise, and bequeath all of the rest, residue, and remainder of my estate to Medic One Foundation, 11747 NE 1st Street, Suite 310, Bellevue, WA 98005.”
Updating an Existing Will
Even if you already have a will, you can revise it to include a charitable bequest to Medic One Foundation with a simple codicil. Similarly, a living trust agreement can usually be amended easily. Always consult your attorney regarding appropriate documentation of bequests and other estate planning arrangements.
Next Steps
While it is not required, letting us know that you have named Medic One Foundation in your will or trust helps ensure that your gift will be carried out exactly as you intend. We also encourage you to share your plans with family and loved ones.
By notifying us of your bequest, you may also become a member of our Legacy Society.
Important Note
The sample language provided does not constitute legal, tax, or financial advice. Please consult an attorney or financial advisor to determine how best to support Medic One Foundation based on your personal circumstances.
Retirement Accounts & Life Insurance
One of the easiest ways to create a legacy is by naming Medic One Foundation as a beneficiary of your retirement plan, life insurance policy, bank account, or brokerage account. This type of gift is simple to arrange and does not require you to update your will or trust.
How It Works
- Contact your retirement plan administrator, insurance company, or financial institution.
- Request and complete a beneficiary designation form.
- List Medic One Foundation as a primary or contingent beneficiary of all or part of the account.
- You can revise your designation at any time if your circumstances change.
Benefits to You
- Simple and flexible – no lawyer required, and you retain full control of your assets during your lifetime.
- Tax-wise giving – gifts from retirement accounts often avoid income and estate taxes, allowing the Foundation to receive the full value.
- Peace of mind – you can provide for loved ones first, while also leaving a lifesaving legacy.
A Gift With Big Impact
Designating even a percentage of a retirement account or life insurance policy can provide extraordinary support for paramedic training, CPR/AED education, and emergency medical research—helping to save lives for generations to come.
Next Step
Talk with your financial institution or insurance provider to request a beneficiary designation form, then share your plans with us. By notifying us of your gift, you’ll also be invited to join our Legacy Society.
Important Note
This information is not legal or tax advice. Please consult your financial or legal advisor to determine what is right for your situation.
Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) from an IRA
A simple, tax-wise way to save lives.
If you are 70½ or older, you can make a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) directly from your Individual Retirement Account (IRA) to Medic One Foundation. This gift can count toward your Required Minimum Distribution (RMD)—without increasing your taxable income.
How It Works
- You instruct your IRA administrator to make a direct transfer from your IRA to Medic One Foundation.
- You can give up to $100,000 each year (or $200,000 for married couples filing jointly).
- Your QCD reduces your taxable income, even if you do not itemize deductions.
- The gift must go directly from your IRA to Medic One Foundation to qualify.
Benefits to You
- Tax advantage – Satisfies all or part of your RMD and lowers taxable income.
- Simple process – No complex paperwork or legal changes required.
- Immediate impact – Your gift supports lifesaving emergency care right now.
Why It Matters
Your IRA gift helps fund critical programs like paramedic training, emergency medical equipment, community CPR education, and pre-hospital research—ensuring more people get a second chance when every second counts.
Next Step
Contact your IRA plan administrator to request a Qualified Charitable Distribution to:
Medic One Foundation
11747 NE 1st Street, Suite 310
Bellevue, WA 98005
Tax ID: 91-6183158
Then, let us know about your gift so we can thank you and welcome you to our Legacy Society.
Important Note
This information is not legal or tax advice. Please consult your financial or legal advisor to determine what is right for your situation.
Stock Gifts
Click here to learn more about stock gifts.
Donor Advised Funds (DAFs)
Click here to learn more about Donor Advised Funds.
Endowment Gifts
Click here to learn more about endowment gifts.
Charitable Remainder Trusts
A charitable remainder trust (CRT) is a wonderful way to make a significant gift to Medic One Foundation while also providing income for yourself or your loved ones. It allows you to support lifesaving emergency care in the future, while receiving benefits today.
How It Works
- You transfer assets (such as cash, stocks, or real estate) into a charitable trust.
- The trust then provides annual payments to you or another person you choose for life, or for a set number of years.
- At the end of the trust term, the remaining assets go to Medic One Foundation to support our mission.
Benefits to You
- Tax savings – You may receive a partial charitable income tax deduction and avoid some capital gains tax.
- Income for life – The trust provides a reliable stream of payments for you or your loved ones.
- A lasting legacy – When the trust ends, your gift creates a permanent impact by helping save lives.
Two Common Options
- Annuity Trust – Pays you the same fixed amount each year, regardless of market changes.
- Unitrust – Pays you a set percentage of the trust’s value, recalculated each year. If the value goes up, so does your income.
Next Step
Because charitable trusts are more complex, they require the help of an attorney and financial advisor. If you are interested in this option, we would be honored to talk with you and your advisors about how a trust could benefit both you and the community.
By including Medic One Foundation in your plans, you may also join our Legacy Society.
Charitable Lead Trust
A charitable lead trust (CLT) is a way to support Medic One Foundation now, while still preserving assets for your family later. It allows you to make meaningful annual gifts to advance emergency care, and when the trust ends, the remaining assets return to you or your heirs.
How It Works
- You place assets into a trust.
- The trust makes annual payments to Medic One Foundation for a set number of years.
- When the trust term ends, the remaining assets go back to you, your family, or other beneficiaries you choose.
Benefits to You
- Immediate impact – The Foundation receives annual support right away.
- Tax advantages – Depending on the type of trust, you may benefit from reduced gift or estate taxes.
- Family legacy – After the trust term, your loved ones still receive the remaining assets.
Two Common Options
- Charitable Lead Annuity Trust – Pays a fixed amount to Medic One Foundation each year. Often attractive when interest rates are low.
- Charitable Lead Unitrust – Pays a set percentage of the trust’s value each year. Payments to Medic One Foundation rise or fall with the value of the trust.
Next Step
Charitable lead trusts are more complex and require the assistance of an attorney and financial advisor. If you are interested in this option, we would be glad to talk with you and your advisors about how it can benefit both your family and our community.
By letting us know about your plans, you may also become part of our Legacy Society.
Why Planned Giving?
Regardless of your age or financial situation, planning your legacy helps protect your family’s future and ensures support for the causes closest to your heart.
The future is unpredictable—your legacy shouldn’t be. With your advisors, we can help you explore your charitable options and determine which gift works best for you.
Join the Legacy Society
When you inform us of your gift, you become part of our Legacy Society, joining others who have made a lasting commitment to saving lives. Members receive special opportunities to connect with paramedic students, faculty, and graduates, along with recognition events and a token of appreciation.
Get in Touch
Sara Oshikawa-Clay, MPA, CFRE
Director of Philanthropy
425-625-2032
sara@mediconefoundation.org
Medic One Foundation
11747 NE 1st Street, Suite 310
Bellevue, WA 98005