FCS was started in 1979 when a dozen local professionals in the fields of law, accounting, real estate, financial planning, insurance and trust banking grouped their expertise and pledged their support to what was then Morton Plant Foundation. Since those early years, FCS has grown to an impressive committee of over 170 whose efforts, have helped raise millions of dollars in support of the not-for-profit Hospitals of Morton Plant Mease Health Care through the Morton Plant Mease Foundation.

Morton Plant Mease Health Care is concerned with helping people to preserve their health. Morton Plant Mease Foundation is concerned with finding the financial support to fulfill that mission. In doing so, the Foundation realizes that before anyone can be in a position to provide charitable support to Morton Plant Mease, they must feel comfortable that they have satisfied their own financial needs.

With this in mind, the Foundation has established a committee on Financial Counseling Services made up of volunteer professionals in the community. The committee consists of attorneys, certified public accountants, trust officers, investment advisors, stockbrokers, chartered life underwriters, certified financial planners, chartered financial consultants, real estate brokers and professional estate and financial planners.

The goal of the Financial Counseling Services program is two-fold: first, to help the potential donor achieve maximum financial security and second, to suggest ideas that allow the donor to consider charitable support to Morton Plant Mease Foundation. The intent is not to take the place of the donor's professional advisors, but rather, to work with the donor and his or her advisors to produce a comprehensive financial plan that satisfies the donor's personal, as well as charitable interests.

The purpose of this committee is to provide seminars and educational material to inform the community about the benefits to donors of charitable giving. The committee works with the Foundation to provide donors with ideas, information and suggestions as to how to increase, reduce their capital gains taxes and reduce estate costs and taxes for their heirs - and to support their charitable interests at the same time.

We encourage you to inform Morton Plant Mease Foundation of any current or future gifts from your clients in their estate plans. These gifts to the Foundation will provide funds for the ongoing mission of Morton Plant Mease Health Care to continue to improve the health of our community. We would love to thank your clients, but if they prefer to remain anonymous, we will respect their wishes. Please complete the Confidential Planned Gift Confirmation form or Anonymous Planned Gift Confirmation Form above and submit it to Morton Plant Mease Foundation, 1200 Druid Rd. S., Clearwater, FL 33756.