Hibberds focus on philanthropic priorities through gift planning

Chuck and Janel Hibberd can see Prairie Home from their kitchen. The unincorporated Lancaster County community peeks over the horizon, beyond the corn and soybean fields abutting the Hibberds' property. It's an appropriate view for a couple enamored with country living.

Chuck spent 38 years working in land-grant universities, including at the University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension. Janel spent many years in the public school system, while also managing the full-time job of being a stay-at-home mom to their two children. Both grew up in Greater Nebraska communities - Janel in Fremont, Chuck in Cozad and Lexington. They share similar passions for giving back - 4-H, early childhood development, small town living.

But when they revisited their gift plans, they found a mismatch.

"One of the things we realized was that our estate plan didn't reflect our values in terms of philanthropy and supporting issues, projects that we're passionate about," Chuck said. "It was this aha moment."

That epiphany inspired the Hibberds to align their philanthropic values with their financial decisions, leading to conversations about the legacy they want to leave once they're gone. For instance, Janel's background in education and early childhood development, as well as Chuck's passion for 4-H youth programs.

They began their gift planning journey at Nebraska Community Foundation, where Gift Planning Advisor Jim Gustafson helped them navigate the various gift options available, tax consequences, and more technical details that can often bog down the estate planning process. Gustafson then connected them with advisors in the area to help them cement their plans.

"As we got to the point where we knew what we wanted to do, we found people who knew how to do it," Chuck said. "The minutiae, the legal language, and all that, we didn't have to worry about that."

Through combining their priorities with the expert advice of NCF staff and local financial advisors, the Hibberds arrived at a gift they felt reflected their values. They decided to leave 20% of their estate to charity, set up as the Hibberd Charitable Fund, which will be managed by NCF. Fifty percent of the gift will help continue NCF's mission, while the other half will support the Nebraska 4-H Foundation's youth development and early childhood education efforts.

"We felt like that was a good number in part because the remainder that will be split between our two kids is still a significant number that they can use for their purposes," Chuck said. "But being able to commit 20% felt really good."

It also felt good to honor both their families' long histories of giving back, which loomed large over their kitchen table discussions.

"Both of our parents were service minded so that's been part of our lives since we were young children," Janel said. "When we had children that became part of their lives too. They watched us, we modeled service for them."

The process was time-consuming, but never a struggle. They wanted to ensure every aspect of their estate met their wishes, which meant taking a measured approach.

"It wasn't hard," Janel said. "It just took some time because we were very deliberate in what we were doing."

Chuck agreed, offering that the technical aspects of gift planning went smoother than expected.

"I think that's the big thing," Chuck said. "Once you've done that, really sorted out your values and commitments, then the rest of it comes together rather easily."

The couple's 20% gift is extremely generous, no doubt. But they reminded Nebraskans that gifts of all sizes are worth sharing.

"No gift is too small," Janel said. "Everything is added together and can create such a big impact."

Charitable gift planning allows people to provide for the future of their family and their community. Nebraska Community Foundation's "Five to Thrive" campaign encourages Nebraskans to leave just 5% of their estate to local affiliated funds or charitable organizations benefiting their community.

The website https://nebcommfound.giftlegacy.com has an abundance of resources on tax-wise charitable gift planning, including gift planning calculators, stories of donor impact, and a free downloadable wills guide. Click here to watch an interview featuring the Hibberds and their gift planning process.

For information on how you can give back to your hometown, contact Nebraska Community Foundation's Office of Planned Giving, 402.323.7330 or [email protected].