Estate Planning Tip: Charities and Right of Survivorship

For those planning on leaving some of their assets to charities through their last will and testament, it is important that the assets are titled/owned in a way that the charities will receive the designated assets.

For example, if all of your assets are held jointly with the right of survivorship, although your will leaves monies to charities, the charities will not receive a penny.

The joint owner with the right of survivorship will receive the assets.

This is because the will only applies to assets that do not pass automatically by operation of law.

Joint survivorship accounts and retirement assets which name a specific successor/beneficiary are examples of assets that pass automatically by operation of law and are not governed by your will.