An Estate Plan to Nourish Neighbors: A CPA Shares her Perspective on the Power of Planned Gifts

From a young age, Marlene Kaplan was encouraged to remember those in situations less fortunate than her own. Marlene was raised in Randolph, Massachusetts in a Jewish family who saw the concept of tzedakah (roughly translated to charity or justice) as an integral part of their faith. Marlene’s mom kept a tzedakah box to deposit coins into when good or bad things happened—always remembering their neighbors, no matter whether times were good or bad. When the box filled up, the family would bring it to the temple to be donated to a charitable cause.   

Throughout her life, Marlene developed a passion for finding local organizations making an impact. She seeks to donate to nonprofits that help women and children, as well as tackle the consequences of poverty on a local, community level. Marlene also looks for charities without extravagant administrative costs—to ensure her donations support those in need. GBFB’s mission and impact fit her criteria perfectly! 

Today, Marlene regularly gives to GBFB, and is also a member of the Kip Tiernan Society, a growing group of donors who have included a future gift for the food bank in their estate plans. Membership allows individuals the opportunity to connect with GBFB more closely in ways that are meaningful to them.  

Marlene is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and views planned gifts as investments into one’s community. In her work, Marlene brings her enthusiasm for philanthropy to conversations with her clients, many of whom are making their own estate plans. She is passionate about promoting the tax benefits of charitable giving and clearing the common misconception that it’s “all or nothing” when it comes to including a charitable gift in one’s estate plan. 

Some clients, she says, hesitate due to family considerations. Marlene reminds clients that they can still leave a charitable legacy alongside making provisions for their children and relatives. “You can give a portion of your estate to a cause you care about, and it’s not going to impact yours or your kids’ financial future…but it could have a big impact on the life of someone else in a less fortunate situation,” she says.   

Marlene adds that including a gift in her estate plan gives her peace of mind because she retains control of the funds during her lifetime, allowing the flexibility to address any unexpected future expenses. She regularly gives to GBFB and other charitable causes and is glad to be able to leave larger gifts in her estate plan. 

As a child, Marlene saved her coins in the tzedakah box to donate to charity. Today, she is carrying that legacy forward with a planned gift for the food bank that will care for community members in the years to come.  

“You can give a portion of your estate to a cause you care about, and it’s not going to impact yours or your kids’ financial future…but it could have a big impact on the life of someone else in a less fortunate situation.”