LIFE ESTATE GIFTS: Living Simply, Giving Faithfully
Martha Ann Thigpen Holemon lived a life rooted in faith, service and generosity. Born in 1940, Martha spent much of her life in Shreveport, where she was a member of Noel United Methodist Church.
A retired schoolteacher, she loved children deeply, teaching Sunday school, leading Bible studies and later serving as Noel’s Children’s Center director.
Rev. Mimi McDowell, who was a pastor at Noel when Martha arrived and later officiated her funeral, recalls, “Martha loved, loved, loved children and was very good with them. Everyone commented on how good she was with children.”
Martha and her husband, Joe, to whom she was married for 53 years, even served as missionaries in Gaza early in their lives. She was known as a prayer warrior—empathetic, kindhearted and deeply committed to caring for others.
Years ago, at a Foundation presentation at Noel, Martha learned about the possibility of making a gift through a
life estate. The seed was planted, and when she later inherited her parents’ home in Gilliam, she chose to use it for good. Martha designated the Louisiana Methodist Children’s Home, in honor of her love for children, and Gilliam UMC, her parents’ church, as beneficiaries.
When Martha passed away in 2024 at age 84, the Foundation sold the home and established two endowments—one for the Children’s Home and one for Gilliam UMC. These endowments will bless lives for generations to come.
A life estate gift allows donors to give real estate to the Foundation while retaining use of the property during their lifetime. It’s a simple, meaningful way to make a lasting impact without needing great wealth.
Martha’s story is a powerful reminder that generosity is not about wealth—it’s about the heart. She lived simply, but gave faithfully, leaving behind a legacy of love that continues to bless both her church family and countless children in need.
Martha Holemon, whose warm smile reflected her generous heart, never let age slow her down—she even rode her bicycle to Gilliam United Methodist Church when she could no longer drive, faithfully making her way to worship.
Board of Trustees
Rev. Jo Cooper Chairman
Rev. Katie Black
Abby Cochran
Rev. Clifton Conrad
Joe Crouch, Jr.
Brent Graham
Drew Kennedy
Bob Kimbro
Eunice Val Lavigne
Richard Lewis
Rev. Mimi McDowell
Sen. Willie Mount
Troy Searles
Dr. Van Stinson
Rev. Drew Sutton
Use Your Home to Make a Lasting Legacy
Did you know your home could help you make a lasting legacy for your church? A life estate gift makes this possible!
A life estate gift allows you to transfer ownership of your home, farm or other property to your church or favorite ministry while keeping the right to live there for the rest of your life. This type of gift has several benefits for both you and your church:
longer has to pay property taxes on the home.
• Leave a lasting legacy. Your gift can support your church’s ministries, outreach or building projects long after you’re gone. Life estate gifts are flexible and can be tailored to your needs, making them a wonderful option for donors who want to make a difference while still planning for their future.
Chris Spencer President
Contact Us:
8337 Jefferson Hwy. Baton Rouge, LA 70809
Phone: (225) 346-1535
Email: information@umf.org
Web Addresses: www.umf.org www.umfgiving.org
Legacies Editor: Kelly Johannessen kellyj@umf.org 2025
• Enjoy your property during your lifetime. You retain the right to live in the property for life.
• Receive potential tax advantages. You may qualify for a charitable income tax deduction when you make the gift. And when the property is eventually sold, your church may be exempt from capital gains taxes, maximizing the impact of your gift. In Louisiana, the donor no
By choosing a life estate gift, you can continue enjoying your home while creating a meaningful legacy for the church and community you love. It’s a thoughtful way to leave a mark that truly lasts.
If you’d like to learn more about how a life estate gift could work for you, please contact us at the Foundation.
Life Estate Gifts
savvy LIvIng
Is Social Security Still Taxable?
Dear Savvy Living,
I plan to retire soon and begin receiving my Social Security retirement benefits. I heard that the new big, beautiful bill eliminated taxes on Social Security. What can you tell me?
The new law, known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), did not eliminate Social Security taxes. It provided a temporary “senior bonus” deduction (starting in 2025-2028) of up to $6,000 for each eligible taxpayer age 65+. The deduction begins to phase out for taxpayers with an adjusted gross income over $75,000 for single taxpayers or $150,000 for joint filers. This new provision is a deduction for seniors and not a refundable credit, thus it will not benefit lower-earning seniors who owe no income taxes.
Who Owes SSA Taxes?
Whether your Social Security benefits are taxed depends on your total income and filing status. Approximately 40% of individuals receiving Social Security benefits have total income levels that trigger federal income tax.
The first step in determining if your benefits will be taxable is to add up your non-Social Security income including wages, taxable and tax-exempt interest, dividends, pensions and taxable retirement plan distributions, selfemployment and other taxable
income. To that total, add half of your annual Social Security benefits.
If you are single and your income from all the listed sources is:
• <$25,000, your benefits will not be subject to federal income tax.
• $25,000 - $34,000, up to 50% of your benefits will be taxed at your regular income tax rate.
• >$34,000, up to 85% of your benefits will be taxed.
If you are married and filing jointly and the total from all sources is:
• <$32,000, your benefits will not be taxed.
• $32,000-$44,000, up to 50% of your benefits will be taxed.
• >$44,000, up to 85% of your benefits will be taxed.If you are married and file a separate return, you will probably pay taxes on your benefits.
To help you with the calculations, review a copy of IRS Publication 915 “Social Security and Equivalent Railroad Retirement Benefits,” which provides detailed instructions and worksheets.
You can download it at IRS.gov/ pub/irs-pdf/p915.pdf or call the IRS at 800-829-3676 and request a free copy through the mail.
Find out if any of your benefits are taxable through the IRS online tax tool at IRS.gov/help/ita and click on “Social Security or railroad retirement tier I benefits - Are mine taxable?”
You should be cautious when taking distributions from retirement accounts or other sources. In addition to triggering ordinary income tax, a distribution that raises your gross income can bump up the taxable proportion of your Social Security benefits.
How to File
If part of your Social Security benefits will be taxable, you must file an income tax return using Form 1040 or Form 1040-SR. If you expect to owe taxes, you should make quarterly estimated tax payments to the IRS or have taxes automatically withheld from your benefit payments.
To have the taxes withheld, you must complete IRS Form W-4V, Voluntary Withholding Request (IRS.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw4v.pdf), and file it with your local Social Security office.
“Savvy Living” is written by Jim Miller, a regular contributor to the NBC Today Show and author of The Savvy Living book.
8337 Jefferson Hwy. n Baton Rouge, LA 70809
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Foundation News
Foundation and First UMC Host Thriving Churches Workshop
The United Methodist Foundation of Louisiana joined First United Methodist Church of Baton Rouge on Saturday, August 23, for an inspiring workshop with Pastor Mark DeYmaz, author of The Coming Revolution in Church Economics and founding pastor of Mosaic Church of Central Arkansas.
Over 100 pastors and church leaders attended, gaining practical strategies to help their churches thrive in today’s world. Mark shared real-world examples and encouraged participants to consider how his experience could be applied in their own congregations.
Discussions focused on leveraging church assets, creating multiple streams of income, adapting to changing demographics and blessing the community in fresh ways. Attendees left energized, and plans for follow-up meetings are already in the works.
Nearly $100K Awarded in Latest Grant Cycle
In its July 2025 grant cycle, the United Methodist Foundation of Louisiana awarded $99,939 to support 12 churches and ministries across the Louisiana Conference and beyond. These funds back projects that make a real difference, including therapy for children, senior wellness programs, youth ministry retreats, building a home for a single mother, expanding a community food pantry and providing tuition assistance for students in need.
Each initiative reflects the creativity, compassion and dedication of United Methodist churches and ministries as they serve their communities in the spirit of Christ.
Go to www.umf.org/grants for more information on the Foundation’s grants program.
Workshop Speaker and Hosts, L to R: Chris Spencer, Pastor Mark DeYmaz and Rev Brady Whitton
