Charitable Trust Benefits Donors, Their Children and Wartburg College

When Alvin '57 and Jeannette Bahlmann '58 sat down to plan the distribution of their estate, they wanted to ensure that provisions had been made for their four children. "We wanted to make sure our family was supported," Al says, "and to also include Wartburg, because the college has always felt like family to us."

Using agricultural and timber land to fund a charitable remainder unitrust, the Bahlmanns were able to provide for their children and one of their favorite charities—Wartburg College.

The charitable remainder unitrust provided the flexibility the Bahlmanns desired. It gave them tax advantages, extra income, provisions for their family and a significant future gift for Wartburg College. It will provide income each year to the Bahlmanns for as long as they live, give them a charitable deduction now, and after they die, the trust will continue to provide equitable income for a period of years to their four children. At the end of the term of years, the assets of the trust go to Wartburg College. Two of their children, Jennifer and Craig, are alumni of the college.

The Bahlmanns' attachment to Wartburg "goes back a long way," Nette says. They met as students at Wartburg and continue to remain close to the college by attending artist series events, alumni events and basketball games. They are regular participants in Wartburg's Keep On Learning program. Being lifelong learners has helped them be wise planners for their family's future, including Wartburg College.