Critical care inspires generous gift

The phone call came in the middle of the night. Scott and Mary Peterson jumped out of bed and ran to their car.

Their son, Grant, had slipped, fallen and suffered a serious brain injury. After being assessed at Legacy Good Samaritan Medical Center, he was rushed to Legacy Emanuel for surgery. Scott and Mary waited anxiously there for the results.

They got the good news when the surgeon emerged from the operating room: The surgery was a success. Grant would be OK. He returned to work less than a month later.

"We can't say enough about the help he got," Mary says. "Right from the get-go." The care Grant received that night at Legacy Emanuel inspired Scott and Mary to make a generous gift to support critical care services at Legacy Health.

The Petersons contribute to Legacy Emanuel through their individual retirement accounts. Each year, they make gifts from their required minimum distribution, the minimum amount the federal government requires you to withdraw from your IRA account annually, starting at age 72. At age 70½ or older, individuals can give any amount up to $100,000 per year from an IRA directly to a qualified charity without having to pay income taxes on the money.

Making these gifts is quick and easy: The Petersons simply contact their money manager and direct a gift to a specific Legacy Health fund. Since the distribution is made directly to charity, the Petersons avoid paying taxes on it, saving them money while supporting Legacy Health services that are especially important to their family.