Giving money to charity in your will not just for the rich

Leaving money to charity after passing on doesn’t have to be something that only rich people do, according to the Sacramento Bee.

"Everyone can leave a bequest to charity of something … . We want to change the idea that you have to be rich to leave money to charity," Elfrena Foord, a certified financial planner and co-founder of the California Plan Your Giving Project, told the Sacramento Bee.

The third annual Plan Your Giving Day, which took place last week, was sponsored by the California state Legislature and prompted average citizens to dedicate any part of their life’s earnings to charitable causes, according to the article.

Judy McGarry, a retired Sacramento County probation and compliance officer, dedicated part of her life’s earnings to a nonprofit facility that helps abused senior citizens get adapted to regular life again.

In spite of the potential drama, experts say charitable contributions can help strengthen families.

"It's a great way to pass on your values to your kids," Carrie Schwab Pomerantz, president of the nonprofit Charles Schwab Foundation and a mother of three, told the Sacramento Bee.

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