How to choose between bequests, donations and life insurance?

Would you like to make a gift or bequeath a legacy to Assumption, but need a guide through these important and deeply involving steps? Browse through our various pages on these transmission mechanisms, and discover the answers to the questions you most often ask, so that you can better understand these processes and make informed decisions. If any of these questions remain unanswered, please contact us! legs@assomption.org

Legacies: passing on your heritage

A bequest is a testamentary disposition by which a person transmits, free of charge, all or part of his or her property after death. It enables them to perpetuate their values and commitments, notably by supporting causes close to their hearts, such as those supported by the Procure missionnaire de l’Assomption.
A bequest enables us to perpetuate our values and commitments beyond our own lifetime. By bequeathing part of your estate to a cause close to your heart, such as the Procure missionnaire de l’Assomption, you contribute to charitable works, the education of young people, the training of priests and the fight against exclusion. It’s an act of faith and solidarity that reflects the Christian values of sharing and generosity.

What are the different types of bequest?

There are three types of bequests, depending on the nature of the property transmitted:

• universal bequest: you bequeath all your assets (movable, immovable and liabilities) to one or more individuals or legal entities. When you name more than one person, this is called a joint universal legacy. Your legatees will each have the same rights and obligations;
  
• universal bequest: You bequeath a share of all your assets (e.g. 1/3 of your estate), a category of your assets (e.g. your buildings) or a share of them (e.g. 1/5 of your buildings);
  
• bequest by particular title: You bequeath one or more specific assets (a house, the contents of a safe, a sum of money…).

How to draw up a will

Drawing up a will is a crucial or essential step in ensuring that your wishes are respected. There are two main forms of will: the holograph will and the authentic will. Each has its own specific features and advantages.

• Holograph wills: the easiest to draw up, handwritten, dated and signed. It can be entrusted to a notary for greater security.
  
• Authentic will: the most formal, dictated to a notary in the presence of witnesses. It offers maximum legal security.
  
  It is advisable to draw up your will without erasures or marginalia, and to specify the beneficiaries precisely.
  Whatever the form, you can change your will at any time.

Donations: passing on gifts during your lifetime

A gift is an act by which a person transfers, during his or her lifetime, movable property, real estate or a sum of money to another person.
It enables you to share your assets during your lifetime, and to benefit from significant tax advantages. In particular, it entitles the donor to an income tax reduction of 66% of the value of the gift, up to a limit of 20% of taxable income.

What are the different types of donation?

Donations can take several forms:

• full ownership donation: the donee becomes the owner immediately;
  
• bare-ownership donation: the donor retains the use of the property until his death;
  
• temporary donation of usufruct: the donor helps temporarily by transmitting the income from an asset while retaining ownership.

Life insurance: the choice of flexibility

Life insurance is a tax-advantaged contract for building up, growing and passing on capital. It offers great flexibility in designating beneficiaries. You can designate the Procure missionnaire de l’Assomption as beneficiary of all or part of your policy, without having to go through a notary or draw up a will.

What are the tax advantages of bequests and donations?

Donations and bequests offer significant tax advantages, including tax reductions and exemptions from inheritance tax for beneficiary organizations such as the Procure missionnaire de l’Assomption.

Frequently asked questions about gifts and inheritance

Thanks to your generosity, the Procure missionnaire de l’Assomption can train religious, support educational and spiritual projects, and take action against exclusion. Every gesture counts in building a more human and fraternal future.

Here are some answers to the most frequently asked questions:

What’s the difference between a donation and a bequest?

When you make a donation, your act of generosity is delivered during your lifetime. In this way, your gift can benefit the Assumptionist charities from now on, and you will not be able to reclaim the donated property. When you accept a bequest, the gift is transmitted after your death. During your lifetime, you retain the use of your estate and the possibility of modifying your will.

How much of my estate can I bequeath?

Depending on your family situation, a portion of your assets is reserved for your legal heirs. This share is called the hereditary reserve. You can freely dispose of the remainder, known as the available portion: 3 or more children: you can bequeath up to 25% of your assets; 2 children: up to 33%; 1 child: up to 50%; childless spouse: up to 75%; no legal heirs: you can bequeath 100% of your assets.

Do I need a notary to draw up my will?

There is no obligation to do so. However, your notary is familiar with all aspects of this process, as well as your family and asset situation. He will be able to advise you perfectly.

Do I have to inform the Mission Procure of the Assumption of my decisions?

This is not compulsory, but it is advisable. Otherwise, we will be notified by the notary who holds your will, or by the insurance company that holds your life insurance policy. But we would be delighted to express our gratitude.

Testimonials and real-life examples