What Happens to Your Parish Legacy When a Church Closes?

March 20, 2025

The Catholic Diocese of Buffalo's decision to close dozens of parishes across Western New York has left some parishioners wondering about the future of their legacy gifts. If you named a specific church in your estate planning documents to receive a financial gift, you may be concerned about who will receive your gift if your church has closed or may be closing. For many, the decision to leave a gift to a church or parish is linked to a deeply personal connection to that specific parish. If the parish closes, you should review your current plan and consider any necessary changes.  

What happens if you do nothing?

If you have not updated your will or other estate planning documents since the closure of your parish, your bequest may not be distributed as intended. In this scenario, the following results may occur:

1. The gift may be distributed among other parishes.
2. The gift may be paid to the Diocese and used for the general purposes of the Diocese.

Updating your estate planning documents

To ensure that your charitable intentions are honored, it is essential to update your estate planning documents by taking the following steps:

1. Identify an alternative parish or charity to receive your donation instead of a closed parish.
2. Update will or trust to name the new beneficiary.
3. Update beneficiary designations of any relevant life insurance policies, retirement accounts, or other financial instruments to name the new beneficiary.

Consideration for alternate beneficiaries

When selecting an alternate beneficiary, you may want to consider the following factors:

1. Geographic location: Choose an active parish or charity located in an area that is meaningful to you.
2. Mission alignment: Select a charity that aligns with your values and charitable goals.
3. Tax implications: Consider any tax implications related to your donation.

Benefits of updating your estate planning documents

Updating your estate planning documents has several benefits:

1. Clarifies charitable intentions: Ensures that your charitable goals are honored and respected.
2. Avoids uncertainty: Minimizes potential disputes or confusion surrounding the distribution of your assets.
3. Simplifies administration: Reduces the administrative burden on loved ones and eases the administration of your estate.

The closure of multiple churches across Western New York is a significant change that may impact many parishioners' estate planning strategies. By understanding what happens to your parish legacy when a church closes and updating your estate planning documents accordingly,  your charitable intentions can be honored and respected. Take this opportunity to review and revise your plans to achieve peace of mind and fulfill your philanthropic goals.

For more than 30 years I have been working with clients to draft and update estate planning documents and ensure their final wishes are met. Call me, or any member of our Estate Planning Practice Group today to discuss updating existing estate planning documents or drafting new documents.

The Trust and Estate planning team at Gross Shuman PC has decades of experience assisting in the proper planning and execution of trust and estate documents. John F. Leone and his team are just a phone call away. Do not leave your lifetime of work at risk. Call today. 716-854-4300 ext. 243 or [email protected].