Community Matters Fall 2025 - Magazine - Page 18
LifeSpire Unveils 2025
Holiday Card Artwork
This year’s holiday greeting is unofficially named ‘A View
from a Friend’ created by Phyllis Harvey, a resident at The
Summit since 2019.
With no formal training, but an enjoyment of the arts,
as a young mother Phyllis would paint at night after her
children were sleeping. Prior to being married, Phyllis
lived in Washington, DC with a roommate while working
at the Pentagon. It was that dear friend who gave Phyllis
the inspiration for this year’s artwork.
After returning to Lynchburg for married life, Phyllis’
roommate visited with a picture of the snow scene.
Phyllis painted a couple versions of the scene, finally
settling on this one. The picture is one of her favorites
and reminds her of her dear friend.
Phyllis’ home at The Summit displays some of her
artwork, but she notes that most of her paintings are
with her children. She moved to The Summit with many
friends already here. She loves the family feel of the
community, with great appreciation of the care provided
by team members.
Tax Law Updates: Make Giving Simple, Flexible, and Impactful
Recent tax changes were signed into law in July 2025 and
will make charitable giving easier and more rewarding
for donors. These updates will streamline tax rules and
encourage generosity through several key changes.
Donor Benefits at a Glance:
1. Deduction for Everyone
Even if you don’t itemize your taxes, individuals can
deduct $1,000, and joint filers $2,000, for charitable gifts.
2. Greater Deductions for Cash Gifts
You can deduct up to 60% of your income for cash
donations.
3. Estate Tax Relief
The estate tax exemption increased to $15 million, helping
families plan legacy gifts.
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This makes giving simpler, smarter, and more impactful—
whether you're donating now or planning for the future.
These changes don’t take effect until 2026, but it’s important
to understand how your charitable giving is treated under
federal tax law—making it easier, more rewarding, and
more strategic for donors.
As always, we encourage you to reach out to your financial
advisors and tax professionals to determine your personal
charitable giving and financial planning strategy.
To learn more about charitable giving and leaving
your own legacy, please visit https://vbh.planmylegacy.
org/ or reach out to Jodi Leonard, Vice President at
(804) 521-9213.
