A legacy of giving

“I have always felt that this hospital is incredibly important to the community,” says Jennifer Halverson.

A retired teacher, Jennifer supports St. Luke’s Wood River by donating a significant amount of her time as a volunteer. She has served as president of St. Luke’s Volunteer Core and given 1,000 hours overseeing the hospital’s volunteer-run Gift Shop. Last year, she was named St. Luke’s Wood River Volunteer of the Year.

“I get back from giving,” she says.

This spirit of giving led Jennifer and her husband, Mick, to meet with Thompson & Associates, a nationally renowned charitable estate-planning firm. The firm provides comprehensive charitable estate planning services intended to help individuals and families pass their estate assets to their family and to the organizations they support, in a manner consistent with their values and objectives.

“I thought Mick and I had our act together in terms of estate planning and our future,” Jennifer says. “Even so, a second opinion is a good idea.”

Jennifer and Mick met with Allan Fisher, vice president of Thompson & Associates, to review their estate plan.

“Allan doesn’t have a dog in the hunt,” says Mick. “He is not there with an agenda. He is there to help.”

The process gave the couple dedicated time to discuss their wishes for the future with an unbiased third party. The couple was quick to connect with their advisor, whom both describe as knowledgeable, unassuming, and patient.

“Allan listened to us, and we bounced ideas off each other,” Mick says. “He was nonjudgmental and guided us in the direction we wanted to go.”

The donor-centered approach captures the wishes of each client while minimizing taxes and maximizing money available for heirs and social capital. After five years, charitable estate planning efforts led by St. Luke’s Wood River Foundation have raised $31 million for non-profits at large and $19 million for Blaine County, including $9 million for St. Luke’s Wood River. The hope is that intentional estate planning will make a lasting impact on the future of the Wood River Community.

“We thought we had our plan in place, but it changed a lot when we went through this process. It really satisfied what we are trying to do,” Jennifer says.

“The plan we have now is a good utilization of our money. We saved taxes and have more money to give to the non-profits we care about.”

The Halversons’ experience embodies the opportunity St. Luke’s Wood River Foundation hopes to offer through its partnership with Thompson & Associates—helping people and the Wood River Valley.

“This really is a gift to the community,” says Mick.