What is an Endowment Fund? How does an Endowment Policy work?
A non-profit organization, such as a university, hospital, or museum, may hold an investment portfolio known as an endowment fund with the goal of providing a steady flow of funds. Cash, publicly traded securities, real estate, life insurance, retirement accounts, and other assets can all be included in the fund's portfolio. As long as the primary balance, or "corpus," is invested, endowment funds are often perpetual. Only investment money generated by the fund, which must be used in accordance with contributors' desires, can be used by the organization. How Does an Endowment Fund Work? Consider receiving trust from your parents. There is $1,000,000 in the trust, but there is a catch: your parents have specifically declared that the main sum is off-limits. You are only allowed to spend the interest that the trust's assets generate annually; you are not permitted to spend it on extravagant items like a vacation to Tahiti or a McMansion. The funds must be util...