The Bullers have made Charitable Giving a Central Part of their Lives

Wayne and Bev Buller have made charitable giving a central part of their lives. And they have chosen to continue their charitable giving beyond their lifetimes through their estate plan.

Wayne and Bev Buller were born and raised in Nebraska. Bev is a lifelong resident of Boone County. Wayne moved there in 1982 when he and Bev were wed. Together they have nine children; seven living in Nebraska.

The Bullers care deeply about community. After moving to a home near Lake Ericson in Wheeler County, the Bullers issued a $25,000 challenge grant to other residents to establish a permanent endowment for maintenance and improvements on the lake. Wayne and Bev's contributions to this effort and to other NCF affiliated funds total over $160,000.

Wayne and Bev have gone one step further. They have created a significant bequest in their will to benefit the Nebraska Community Foundation to ensure our assistance to affiliated funds all across Nebraska. Later, Wayne and Bev stepped forward again and created a gift annuity to benefit NCF.

"God has blessed us richly and I wanted to share with NCF because you are doing worthy work," Wayne said.

The first step in creating a charitable gift annuity is to transfer cash or property to Nebraska Community Foundation, either for NCF or to benefit an affiliated fund. In exchange, we promise to pay fixed payments to you for life. The payout rate is determined by your age, you receive an immediate income tax deduction, and a portion of each payment may even be tax-free.

The couple has also allotted a portion of their estate to benefit the Boone County Community Foundation Fund. Through that gift the Bullers can continue supporting BCCFF's work, which has already made a tremendous impact in the county.

"Boone County, my hometown full of wonderful people and friends, is dear to us," Bev said. "It's the type of community Nebraska is known for. As we age, we hope this is the legacy that will be carried on with our giving."

The Bullers are people of deep faith. They provide support to many Christian organizations, including significant gifts to build St. Petersburg Christian University in Russia and a church in Haiti.

"It feels good to give back to the causes, the places and people you love," Bev said. "But it also feels good to know that your gifts are being handled in the same professional way that you would run your own business. We feel this kind of trust with the Nebraska Community Foundation."

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].