The Gifts of a Lifetime

Dream Builder William Ballard recently furthered his legacy of service to Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital with a remarkable gift to Johns Hopkins All Children’s Foundation.

Dream Builder William Ballard
Published in Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital - Spring 2023

Decades ago, family ties inspired William, then an attorney beginning his practice in St. Petersburg, to get involved with Johns Hopkins All Children’s. His late wife Marion’s father, Nathaniel W. Upham, was a member of the Board of Trustees of the hospital that later became Johns Hopkins All Children’s (then called the American Legion Hospital for Crippled Children). At that time the father of a young family, William recognized the important role that Johns Hopkins All Children’s played in children’s health care in St. Petersburg and beyond.

“I had two small children at the time,” says William, now retired. “It was meaningful to me to know that this facility was here.”

William followed in his father-in-law’s footsteps by serving on the Johns Hopkins All Children’s Board of Trustees for decades.

Special Kind of Trust

In 2005, William created a charitable remainder unitrust and named Johns Hopkins All Children’s Foundation as the beneficiary. This arrangement guaranteed William lifetime income payments from the trust and various tax benefits. Recently, William took his generosity a step further by donating the income payments he was due for the rest of his life to Johns Hopkins All Children’s Foundation so the funds could start helping children immediately.

“What William did is so special,” says Lydia Bailey, director, planned gifts at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Foundation. “He’s elevated us to the status of family. He’ll be able to see the impact his gift has on children, and we can use the funds where they’re most needed, which is what he wants. This gift shows an amazing amount of trust in our mission, leadership and the children we serve.”

A Gift That Works for You

Setting up a charitable remainder trust isn’t right for every donor. Fortunately, there are easier ways to include support for children’s health care in your estate plan while receiving income payments and tax benefits.

A charitable gift annuity is an appealing option for many donors. You can work directly with Johns Hopkins All Children’s Foundation to transfer an asset, such as a stock, to the Foundation, and you’ll receive partially tax-free payments from the charitable gift annuity for the rest of your life. The payment rates, based on the donor’s age, recently increased, making this form of planned giving even more advantageous for Dream Builders-to-be.

Find out how you can leave a legacy for future generations. Contact Lydia Bailey, director, planned gifts at [email protected] or 727-767-8914.