Soehngen ’67 Delivers Excellence With Holistic Legacy

Michael Soehngen

St. Louis U. High impresses upon its students to go forth into the world and give back to their community. Some choose to do that by volunteering time; many make charitable contributions; and others provide counsel and intellectual capital. Michael Soehngen ’67 has done this all at SLUH—and he intends to complete his legacy by making a final gift through a bequest.

Soehngen returned home to St. Louis in 2007 after a successful career in Chicago with CNA Financial Corporation, where he was head of marketing communications for CNA Commercial Insurance during his final years.

Being back in St. Louis, Soehngen decided that he could finally do more than just support SLUH financially—he could also contribute the knowledge and experience he gained and the success he achieved during his career at CNA to help deliver excellence at SLUH.

Whether volunteering his time to help with alumni reunions each year, as well as his own Class of ’67 50th Reunion in 2017 and his 55th this year, being a member of the Alumni Board or a member of the SLUH Communications Advisory Board, Soehngen always says “yes” with his time.

“Michael is extraordinarily generous with his time and expertise,” says Ben DuMont ’92, Director of Communications. “The past several years, he has helped us deliver excellence by leveraging his corporate experience to help with development of our school communications strategy and brand maintenance. He has dedicated hundreds of hours to help us reinvent, compile and release the timely communication ParentConnect, which is distributed to SLUH parents each week.”

Soehngen, a recipient of the Fr. John J. Divine, SJ Alumni Service Award, shares that the satisfaction he feels as a result his ongoing involvement with SLUH communications, branding and marketing far exceeds the amount of time he invests. In fact, he believes he gains much more personally than what he feels he contributes.

Even though he continues to support SLUH financially throughout each year, he also supports the annual CASHBAH auction, as well as St. Louis U. High Day in support of Scholarship at SLUH each November.

Additionally, over the last five years Soehngen applied his communications experience to his class effort to create a fully endowed Class of 1967 Scholarship. And well before he returned to St. Louis in 2007, he had included SLUH in his estate plan.

Soehngen likes to cite a version of a Churchill quote that “money is only as good as you spread it around” and likes to add “so too intellectual capital.” He considers the two to be at the heart of his generosity with SLUH. He accords much of it to not only his parents, but also to his four years as a SLUH student and his ongoing relationship with Frs. Hagan and Bailey until they died.

“SLUH has been in my estate plan for over 20 years yet I am keeping SLUH in my present-day plan as well so that I positively impact our school both now and in the future.” Indeed, it is a unique and exceptional type of legacy—one that helps to ensure the continuum of SLUH excellence.

Learn how you can create a lasting legacy at SLUH, just like Michael has done, by contacting Linda Domeyer at (314) 269-2113 or ldomeyer@sluh.org.

A charitable bequest is one or two sentences in your will or living trust that leave to St. Louis University High School a specific item, an amount of money, a gift contingent upon certain events or a percentage of your estate.

an individual or organization designated to receive benefits or funds under a will or other contract, such as an insurance policy, trust or retirement plan

UNRESTRICTED USE AND PURPOSE
"I, [name], of [city, state, ZIP], give, devise and bequeath to St. Louis University High School [written amount or percentage of the estate or description of property] for its unrestricted use and purpose."

RESTRICTED USE AND PURPOSE
"I, [name], of [city, state, ZIP], give, devise and bequeath to St. Louis University High School [written amount or percentage of the estate or description of property] for [scholarship name or another specific purpose]."

able to be changed or cancelled

A revocable living trust is set up during your lifetime and can be revoked at any time before death. They allow assets held in the trust to pass directly to beneficiaries without probate court proceedings and can also reduce federal estate taxes.

cannot be changed or cancelled

tax on gifts generally paid by the person making the gift rather than the recipient

the original value of an asset, such as stock, before its appreciation or depreciation

the growth in value of an asset like stock or real estate since the original purchase

the price a willing buyer and willing seller can agree on

The person receiving the gift annuity payments.

the part of an estate left after debts, taxes and specific bequests have been paid

a written and properly witnessed legal change to a will

the person named in a will to manage the estate, collect the property, pay any debt, and distribute property according to the will

A donor advised fund is an account that you set up but which is managed by a nonprofit organization. You contribute to the account, which grows tax-free. You can recommend how much (and how often) you want to distribute money from that fund to SLUH or other charities. You cannot direct the gifts.

An endowed gift can create a new endowment or add to an existing endowment. The principal of the endowment is invested and a portion of the principal’s earnings are used each year to support our mission.

Tax on the growth in value of an asset—such as real estate or stock—since its original purchase.

Securities, real estate or any other property having a fair market value greater than its original purchase price.

Real estate can be a personal residence, vacation home, timeshare property, farm, commercial property or undeveloped land.

A charitable remainder trust provides you or other named individuals income each year for life or a period not exceeding 20 years from assets you give to the trust you create.

You give assets to a trust that pays our organization set payments for a number of years, which you choose. The longer the length of time, the better the potential tax savings to you. When the term is up, the remaining trust assets go to you, your family or other beneficiaries you select. This is an excellent way to transfer property to family members at a minimal cost.

You fund this type of trust with cash or appreciated assets—and may qualify for a federal income tax charitable deduction when you itemize. You can also make additional gifts; each one also qualifies for a tax deduction. The trust pays you, each year, a variable amount based on a fixed percentage of the fair market value of the trust assets. When the trust terminates, the remaining principal goes to SLUH as a lump sum.

You fund this trust with cash or appreciated assets—and may qualify for a federal income tax charitable deduction when you itemize. Each year the trust pays you or another named individual the same dollar amount you choose at the start. When the trust terminates, the remaining principal goes to SLUH as a lump sum.

A beneficiary designation clearly identifies how specific assets will be distributed after your death.

A charitable gift annuity involves a simple contract between you and SLUH where you agree to make a gift to SLUH and we, in return, agree to pay you (and someone else, if you choose) a fixed amount each year for the rest of your life.

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