Leave a Legacy for the Valley You Love
Planned gifts are an inspiring way to support land conservation in the future while providing for your own and your family’s financial security at the same time.
A planned gift is a contribution that is arranged in the present but allocated at a future date, and is commonly donated through a will or trust. Many types of planned gifts offer tax benefits to the donor. If you’re looking for a meaningful way to support Kestrel in the future and ensure that special places in the Valley are protected for generations to come, consider joining a growing group of supporters who have included Kestrel in their estate plans. Some options are briefly outlined below. If you’d like more information, please contact us!
Learn more about philanthropic opportunities and their tax benefits below and/or follow the link above to contact us by email. Or, call Monica Green, Development Director, at 413-549-1097.
“We have chosen to leave a bequest to Kestrel Land Trust in our will because we share Kestrel’s mission—to conserve, to care for, and to connect people to the nature of the Pioneer Valley. We trust Kestrel to ensure that our place on the planet will always be a sanctuary for wildlife and for human communities in this age of climate change. ”
ROBERT A. JONAS & REV. MARGARET BULLITT-JONAS
Northampton
Consider these planned giving options:
BEQUEST
Designate Kestrel Land Trust as the recipient of cash, real estate, or another asset in your will. Or you can leave a percentage of your overall estate to Kestrel. A meaningful legacy gift can be made by listing Kestrel Land Trust, Inc. as a beneficiary of your will using the following language: “I give the sum of $_____ [or the rest, residue or remainder of my estate] to Kestrel Land Trust, Inc. with its principal office in Amherst, MA, or its successors, for general purposes, without restrictions.”
GIFTS OF REAL ESTATE
Land with important conservation values can be donated to Kestrel. Houses, buildings, and other developed real estate can be donated as trade properties: the sale of the property then provides funding for conservation projects.
RETAINED LIFE ESTATE
Through a retained life estate, you may transfer ownership of your home, farm, or other property to Kestrel Land Trust, Inc. while retaining the right to live there during your lifetime. This has income tax benefits and can simplify estate settlement and taxes.
IRA, 401(K), 403(b), or other Qualified Retirement Plan Assets
A donor may leave a legacy using these assets simply by naming Kestrel Land Trust, Inc. as a beneficiary. Since these assets are often subject to both estate and income taxes, there is a benefit to prioritizing them for charitable purposes.
CHARITABLE IRA ROLLOVER
If you are 72 or older, you may request that your IRA plan administrator transfer a specific dollar amount (up to $100,000) directly from your account to Kestrel Land Trust. Such a gift will count towards your required minimum distribution, and can be excluded from your federal gross income resulting in possible tax savings.
LIFE INSURANCE
Kestrel Land Trust, Inc. may be named as the owner and beneficiary of a new or existing policy – especially a policy that is no longer essential to your financial goals. In this situation, premiums on the policy you pay become tax deductible.
CHARITABLE GIFT ANNUITY
A gift annuity is a contract between a donor and a non-profit organization in which the organization agrees to pay a fixed income, usually for the life of the donor and/or spouse, but others can be named as the life beneficiaries. At the conclusion of the annuity, the amount equal to the difference between the original gift and the cost of providing the annuity is left to benefit the organization in perpetuity.
CHARITABLE REMAINDER TRUST
A charitable remainder trust is a tax-exempt irrevocable trust designed to reduce your individual taxable income. It first disperses income to the beneficiaries of the trust for a specified period of time and then donates the remainder of the trust to the designated charity.
CHARITABLE LEAD TRUST
A charitable lead trust enables the donor to make significant charitable gifts in the near term then distribute the remainder interest to non-charitable beneficiaries, who may benefit from significantly lowered gift and estate taxes.
Frequently asked questions about legacy and planned gifts
Who needs a will?
You need a will if you wish to have a say in how and to whom your assets are distributed after your death. Without a will, your estate will be divided according to the laws of Massachusetts, or the state in which you reside. With a will you may be able to minimize estate taxes and provide gifts in trust for minors and/or charitable organizations.
I already have a will. How do I include Kestrel Land Trust?
Talk to the attorney who drew up your will. If including a bequest is the only modification you are making, this can usually be accomplished by adding a codicil to the will.
How often should I update my will?
A change in your will is often required when you experience changes in your personal or financial situation, such as marriage, divorce, birth of a child, death of a spouse, a new business, purchase of a new home, retirement, and/or a desire to make charitable gifts using your assets.
I would like to name Kestrel Land Trust as a beneficiary of my IRA or life insurance policy. Who should I talk to?
Contact your life insurance agent or the financial institution where your IRA is invested.
Who should I consult about setting up one of the other kinds of planned gifts?
A financial planner can help you evaluate which type of planned gift or gifts will help you achieve your financial objectives, and support the non-profit organization/s you care about. The Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts also offers many valuable resources for donors and can be reached at communityfoundation.org or 413-732-2858.
Join These Visionaries When You Make Your Planned Gift
Kestrel Land Trust is grateful for the generous bequests provided by the following members of our community over the years. These visionary gifts helped Kestrel Land Trust grow from an idea in 1970 to an accredited regional land trust that has protected more than 23,000 acres with our conservation partners. You can help ensure a legacy of land conservation in the Valley by including Kestrel in your estate plans today. Thank you!
