Planned Giving Insights and Information

The Power of Suggestion

PG Calc was thrilled to have Russell James, Professor of Personal Finance at Texas Tech University, as a recent guest presenter in our monthly Webinar series. During his August 28 session, Prof. James discussed fascinating results from his survey of over 5,000 subjects. The survey tested reactions to different descriptions of specific gift plans. His conclusion: The words we use to describe planned gifts and their benefits matter. In particular, “family” words, such as “make a gift,” triggered a more positive response from participants than formal words, such as “make a transfer of assets.” Prof. James buttressed his survey findings with theoretical research performed by him and others, showing that there is neurological, biochemical, and demographic evidence that corroborate his survey results.

An early thumbs up for PGM Anywhere planned giving software!

PGM Anywhere is the tablet-optimized, browser-based version of our Planned Giving Manager (PGM) planned giving software. It's out in limited beta release right now, and we are starting to get some early feedback. What are users saying? Stephen R. WattDirector of Gift PlanningUniversity of North Carolina

Thoughts of a Bequest Gift Light Up the Brain!

A couple weeks ago, I attended the National Capital Gift Planning Council’s excellent Planned Giving Days 2013 Conference across the Potomac from Washington, DC. The opening session featured a fascinating presentation by Russell James, a professor in the Division of Personal Financial Planning at Texas Tech University. Professor James presented findings from his functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study of the brains of subjects who were asked questions related to making a charitable bequest, making a current gift, or volunteering. What he found is that two very specific areas of the brain tend to be more active when a person is considering a charitable bequest: the lingual gyrus and the precuneus. The lingual gyrus is found in the visual area at the back of the brain and is associated with the ability to dream. The precuneus, also located toward the rear of the brain, but above the lingual gyrus, is associated with self-awareness. Professor James cited studies by others...