There are a number of options that allow you to make a meaningful contribution to help shape the future of The Animal Foundation while also potentially receiving income tax deductions, supplementing your retirement income, and planning for the smooth transfer of your estate to your heirs.
Will
We’ve partnered with FreeWill: a free estate planning resource that guides you through the process of creating your legal will and including a planned gift to The Animal Foundation in just 20 minutes.
Do you have an IRA, 401(k), life insurance policy, or any other assets not included in your will? These are called non-probate assets and you must plan your beneficiaries for them separately. You can use this secure online tool to make your plans and designate The Animal Foundation as a beneficiary of these kinds of assets.
By putting a bequest in your will (cash, property or a share of the estate residue), you can make a gift to The Animal Foundation that costs you nothing today but can provide an estate tax deduction in the future. There are several ways that you can make a gift through your will or trust:
Specific Gift
With this type of gift, you describe exactly what you want to leave to an individual or organization and the designated source. If you want to leave a specific dollar amount from a specific source or a particular item (such as a piece of property or a collector’s item), this is the type of bequest you would use.
Example — John states in his will: “I leave my coin collection to my grandson, Gregory. I leave my beach house to my daughter, Lisa. I leave my securities to The Animal Foundation.”
Example — Mary states in her will: “I leave $50,000 to my nephew, Daniel. I leave $20,000 to The Animal Foundation.”
Residuary Gift
This type of bequest is honored after all other bequests have been made, and all debts, expenses, and taxes have been paid.
Example — Jane states in her will: “I give all the rest, residue and remainder of my real and personal estate to The Animal Foundation.”
Contingent Gift
This type of bequest is fulfilled if certain conditions are met. For instance, if your primary beneficiary does not survive you, you can indicate your next choice through a contingent bequest.
Example — Paul states in his will: “I give all the rest, residue and remainder of my real and personal estate to my wife, Susan, if she survives me; if not, then 50 percent in equal shares to my children who survive me and 50 percent to The Animal Foundation.”
Making a gift to The Animal Foundation through your will or revocable living trust is a simple and flexible way to save the lives of pets for years to come. Information you’ll need for your bequest:
Tax ID# 88-0144253
Bequest Language: “I give to The Animal Foundation, a Nevada corporation with its principal offices at 655 N. Mojave Rd., Las Vegas, NV 89101, (the sum of $ ___ ) (all or ___ percent of my residual estate) to be used for its general purposes.”
Already in Your Plans?
Please fill out this form to let us know if The Animal Foundation is already in your estate plan so we can say thank you for saving the lives of healthy and treatable animals as a part of your legacy, and update our records!
Revocable Living Trust
Revocable living trusts are one of the most popular trusts set up for charitable purposes. A revocable living trust is a trust where you may take back or change the conditions of the trust. You retain control of the assets in the trust. During the life of the trust, income is earned and you may designate the earnings be paid to The Animal Foundation, individuals such as your spouse or children, or use the earnings as income for yourself. Only after death does property transfer to the beneficiaries.
Charitable Remainder Trust
A charitable remainder trust is an irrevocable, tax-exempt trust in which you place assets to provide income for The Animal Foundation for a specific period of time during your life (not to exceed 20 years). Upon the end of the fixed term or death, the named amount is distributed to The Animal Foundation. There are no capital gains taxes on assets transferred to and sold through a charitable remainder trust.
Charitable Lead Trust
With a charitable lead trust you place assets in the trust and specify a set number of years during which a guaranteed amount or a fixed percentage of the value of the assets will be paid to The Animal Foundation. The remainder is left to your heirs. You receive a discounted gift tax when transferring assets to the trust, and the trust beneficiaries receive the remaining assets free of estate taxes.
Securities
Assets qualified as long-term capital (assets held for at least a year and a day), should be transferred directly to The Animal Foundation through a broker. The capital gains tax on appreciation is eliminated, and the current market value of the gift may be deducted as a charitable contribution, up to 30 percent of adjusted gross income. Excess beyond 30 percent can be carried forward for five years. For the capital gains tax exclusion to apply, a donation must be made before the securities are sold.
Life Estate
Life estates allow you to make a substantial gift by donating your home, vacation home or farm without having to vacate the property or give up any benefits you currently enjoy from the property. You’ll receive a charitable tax deduction up front for the donation, but the gift’s benefits and responsibilities remain yours until the time of your choosing, which is usually upon death.
Endowment
Endowments are funds made up of gifts and bequests that require the principal amount be preserved and only the income is used for the organization. Because use of the fund is restricted to a small portion each year, the fund can last forever.
You can create an endowment or put a bequest in your will or living trust to specify that funds be added to The Animal Foundation’s general endowment. When your gift is invested as part of our endowment, it generates a total return (income plus growth) along with the rest of the endowment. As a portion of that return is paid out each year in your name, your gift will be providing income to support our mission.
The information provided is not exhaustive but is meant to stimulate further inquiry as you make plans for your estate. We would be pleased to work with you to determine the best way for you to make your investment. For additional information related to planned giving, contact our Director of Development at legacy@animalfoundation.com or (702) 955-5924. We also advise you to consult your financial planner before finalizing any gift.
Note: This information is not intended as legal advice. Donors should consult with their attorneys, accountants or tax advisors with respect to questions related to estate planning, planned giving and the deductibility of various types of contributions to The Animal Foundation.