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Giving Through Your Will or Living Trust
 In addition to filling an important role in providing for your family and others, your will or living trust can be a wonderful way to make charitable gifts a part of your long-range estate and financial plans. It can be gratifying indeed to know that a portion of your property will be put to good use after you no longer need it.
A gift made by will or living trust to the Jane Goodall Institute can be simple to arrange. A provision or amendment prepared by your attorney at the time you make or update your will or trust is all that is necessary. Gifts via wills and living trusts are popular because they are easy to arrange and may be changed at any time you choose.
Ways to Give Through Wills and Trusts:
- Give only the remainder, or residue, of your estate—that is, what remains after all other bequests to friends and loved ones are satisfied. Such gifts insure that family and loved ones are taken care of first, with anything remaining going to the Jane Goodall Institute or other charities.
- Designate that a percentage of your estate be given through your will or living trust.
- Leave a specific dollar amount. A gift of a particular amount may be designated for general use or for a charitable recipient’s special need.
- Provide for a gift of a specific property. Real estate, stocks, and other items of value are examples of properties that can be used to fund charitable bequests.
- Arrange a trust as part of your estate plan to provide income to a loved one, with an eventual charitable gift after that person’s lifetime or another period of time you choose.
- Name the Jane Goodall Institute or other charities to receive a contingent bequest in the event intended heirs are not there to receive their legacies.
There is currently no limit on amounts deductible from federal gift and estate taxes for charitable gifts made by will or trust, so no tax will be due on assets given in this way. To plan a charitable bequest, inform your attorney of your wishes and ask for advice regarding the best form for your gift.
Options Using Life Insurance and Retirement Plans
Many people have life insurance or retirement plans with significant balances.
In some cases, these assets total more than is needed for a comfortable retirement,
and could give rise to heavy estate taxes.
In that case, it may be wise to consider using these funds to make charitable gifts
now or in the future. A simple change of beneficiary form may be all that is required
for gifts of what remains in your accounts. As in the case of gifts through wills and
revocable living trusts, such gifts can be arranged to take place only if loved ones
predecease you, or in the event of other circumstances you specify. For more information
on retirement plan giving and special tax incentives for those over 70½ who make gifts from these accounts,
click here.
Your retirement plan benefits advisor or your life insurance professional can also
provide more details upon request.
For any planned gift, please consult your own financial advisor.
For more information concerning your estate planning and JGI, please
contact Jessica Lindenfelser, Director, Gift Planning, at 703-682-9292
or jlindenfelser@janegoodall.org.
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