When Is a Good Time to Start Planning Your Estate?
Dr. James C. Walsh ‘37
"Our dad was a planner. He liked to keep things in order," says Chris Walsh about his father, Dr. James C. "Jim" Walsh '37.
It was in the 1990s when Dr. Walsh first informed Gonzaga that he was including the school in his estate plan. He had, in fact, sat down years before to begin taking stock of his assets and planning for his family's security should anything happen to him. At the time, Jim had no idea that he'd survive his wife, Mary, and live to age 95. And because he was a planner by nature, Jim knew that his estate was not written in stone—rather his plans changed as his life's circumstances changed.
Jim would meet with Gonzaga several times over the years to alert the school of his updated plans. Included was a charitable remainder trust. The trust would provide income for his retirement and then upon his death fund scholarships for needy boys attending Gonzaga.
Jim had remained forever grateful for the guidance given him by the Gonzaga Jesuits and he wanted to share that educational experience with others. Today, the James C. Walsh Endowed Scholarship provides a Gonzaga education to several boys each year who would otherwise be unable to attend the school.
Like Dr. Walsh, you can create a scholarship to make a lasting impact on Gonzaga students. Contact David Dugan ’98 at ddugan@gonzaga.org or 202-370-5354 (office) 202-412-0584 (cell) to learn more.
Information contained herein was accurate at the time of posting. The information on this website is not intended as legal or tax advice. For such advice, please consult an attorney or tax advisor. Figures cited in any examples are for illustrative purposes only. References to tax rates include federal taxes only and are subject to change. State law may further impact your individual results. California residents: Annuities are subject to regulation by the State of California. Payments under such agreements, however, are not protected or otherwise guaranteed by any government agency or the California Life and Health Insurance Guarantee Association. Oklahoma residents: A charitable gift annuity is not regulated by the Oklahoma Insurance Department and is not protected by a guaranty association affiliated with the Oklahoma Insurance Department. South Dakota residents: Charitable gift annuities are not regulated by and are not under the jurisdiction of the South Dakota Division of Insurance.