| Planned Giving & Bequests
Regardless of your age or income,
you can benefit from financial and estate planning. Philanthropy
can be an important tool in your planning
strategy. Audubon offers several gift arrangements through
which you can invest in Audubon's mission now when you can
enjoy the satisfaction of
such a decision, while you receive secure lifetime income,
an attractive rate of return, and substantial tax savings.
It is truly a winning arrangement,
for you and for the natural world. You win by receiving secure
income at an attractive rate of return and substantial tax
savings. Our natural world
wins because you will be making an eventual gift to Audubon
-- one of the most effective organizations dedicated to protecting
birds, other wildlife,
and habitat at the local and global level.
Invest in the Future of our Natural World:
Make a Bequest to Audubon Vermont
A bequest in your will is often the most direct and most
significant way to make a planned gift to Audubon Vermont.
The type of bequest depends on individual circumstance but may take the
form of specified amounts
of cash, securities, life insurance, real estate or other
property. Another option is to bequeath a percentage of your estate to Audubon
Vermont along
with other beneficiaries, or to give the residual after other
bequests have been fulfilled. If you are interested in updating your will
or adding a
codicil to include Audubon Vermont as a beneficiary please
consult with your attorney.
Audubon Vermont urges you to have your will prepared by an
attorney who is knowledgeable about estate planning. The
following sample paragraph may be helpful to your attorney:
| I
bequeath to the National Audubon Society, Inc., a not-for-profit
organization, with its principal offices located at
700 Broadway, New York, NY 10003, the sum of $________
(or __% of my residuary estate) for the ongoing environmental
conservation and education programs conducted by its
Vermont State Office. |
Additional Information for Your Attorney
Legal Name: National Audubon Society, Inc.
Headquarters: 700 Broadway, New York, NY 10003
Tax ID #: 13 - 1624102
The National Audubon Society is a tax-exempt not-for-profit
organization as described in sections 170(b)(1)(A)(vi) and
501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
Lillian
Annette Rowe was a New Jersey teacher who never dreamed
that she would someday play an important role in protecting
birds. Ms. Rowe included a modest bequest to Audubon
in her will that enabled the National Audubon Society
to purchase land along Nebraska's Platte River. The Platte
River is an essential "refueling stop" for 80% of the
world's population of migrating Sandhill Cranes and dozens
of other species of waterfowl. This land was the initial
purchase of what was to become the Lillian Annette Rowe
Sanctuary. Each spring thousands of visitors come to
Rowe to rejoice in the sight of the first steps of the
crane mating dances and the sound of ten thousand cranes
cooing and trilling as they return to their roosts on
the river. This is one of the world's great wildlife
gatherings.
Lillian Annette Rowe's story illustrates how important bequests have been
to the National Audubon Society. For almost a century, these gifts have
helped Audubon purchase wildlife sanctuaries, build nature centers, open
field offices, and conduct environmental education programs for adults
and schoolchildren. Your bequest to Audubon Vermont ensures a measure of
immortality in that you will be investing in the only thing that is truly
timeless -- our natural world. |
Gifts of Life Insurance
If you no longer need as much life insurance as you did when
you purchased your policy, you may designate Audubon Vermont
as a beneficiary. At the time of death, life insurance policies
designated to Audubon Vermont
are tax-deductible and the estate tax is reduced by the value
of the policy. You may also donate the policy to Audubon
and receive an immediate income
tax deduction.
Retirement Plans
Friends of Audubon are often surprised to learn that they
can use their retirement plan assets to make a gift to Audubon
Vermont. The easiest way is to make Audubon Vermont the beneficiary
of all or a portion
of your IRA or other qualified retirement plan. If you name
someone other than your spouse or a charitable organization
as the beneficiary of your
retirement plan at your death, the assets may be subject
to multiple taxes including estate and income taxes. Your
heirs may be left with less than
25 cents on the dollar from your plan. This tax 'bite' makes
retirement plans one of the most tax disadvantaged assets
to pass on to heirs, but provide one of the best tax benefits
to you in making a gift
to Audubon Vermont.
Invest in Audubon Vermont and let
the benefits flock to you!
Alternatives to a Bequest Can Pay You Lifetime Income and
Save Taxes
You can support Audubon Vermont with a tax-advantaged
gift that pays you or a loved one income for life. You can give
a variety of assets including:
- Cash
- Appreciated Stocks
- Real Estate
Benefits can
include:
- Option for regular income payments
for you (and/or a beneficiary)
- Immediate federal income
tax charitable deduction
- Potential investment diversification
- Eliminating or reducing capital
gains tax on appreciated property
- Reducing estate and
gift taxes and probate costs
- Creating a future gift
for Audubon Vermont and directing how your gift will
be used
Audubon has been entering into
life income gift agreements for over twenty-five years.
We have over $6,300,000 in annuities, and
over $10,000,000 in unitrusts.
State Street Bank and Trust Company in Boston, Massachusetts professionally
manages Audubon's charitable assets. State Street is one
of the largest manager of charitable
gift assets in the country, and has provided excellent service to Audubon
donors for many years. Its clients include many major universities,
and several of
our sister environmental organizations.
By making a life-income gift, you would help yourself and
Audubon Vermont's protection of the natural world for future
generations. You can secure a reliable income
with an attractive rate of return and substantial tax savings. After your
lifetime, the funds remaining from your gift will be distributed
to Audubon Vermont to
help protect birds, other wildlife, and their habitats here in Vermont. The
participants in our life income gift program enjoy a deep
sense of satisfaction. Many tell
us that their gifts are a continuation of a lifelong commitment to Audubon
and its principles. Audubon offers gift annuities and charitable
remainder trusts.
(Minimums: $10,000 and age 50.)
Charitable Gift Annuities
A charitable gift annuity is a simple agreement between you and Audubon by
which Audubon pays you and/or another beneficiary a fixed annual income for
life. Part
of your income may be tax-free, increasing the overall return to you, or
taxed at the more favorable capital gains rate.
When you establish an annuity, you are entitled to an immediate federal income
tax deduction for a portion of your gift. With a gift of appreciated stock
or other marketable securities, you can avoid the 20 to 28 percent capital
gains
tax. You can also realize significant estate tax savings.
Charitable Remainder Unitrusts
Charitable remainder unitrusts also enable you to contribute to Audubon while
providing an income for yourself and/or another beneficiary for life or a
term of years. This individually managed trust may be tailored to suit your
objectives:
you may build a retirement account, generate a higher income from assets
you currently own, or provide for your spouse, family members, or other beneficiaries.
When you establish a unitrust,
you can receive an immediate federal income tax deduction
for a portion of your gift. With a gift of appreciated
property,
you
can avoid the 20 to 28 percent capital gains tax. You also can realize
significant estate tax savings.
The
George Bird Grinnell Society
Please let us know if you have
included Audubon Vermont in your estate plans, so that
we may thank you and add your name to The George Bird Grinnell
Society. Membership is also offered to those individuals
who make a life income gift. Members of this honorary group
receive an Audubon calendar each year, recognition in our
annual report, and occasional invitations to special events.
For more information about these tax-wise
giving tools contact Linda Gilpin, Audubon Vermont, 255 Sherman
Hollow Road, Huntington, Vermont 05462.
lgilpin@audubon.org
Telephone: (802) 434-3068
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