WHAT IS A PLANNED
GIFT?
Planned Gifts partner
donors, estate and tax planning professionals, and our Planned Giving staff to
create a gift today that will benefit the American Heart Association in the
future. A donor usually makes a contribution from his or her assets or estate rather
than current income, and can receive current income and tax benefits. Planned
Gifts are typically made through a will or trust, gifts that provide lifetime
income to the donor like a charitable gift annuity, or gifts that protect your
assets, like a retained life estate of a house.
WHY MAKE A PLANNED GIFT?
Planned Gifts benefit you and
your children and save lives. They allow your personal values to make a lasting
impact on the world and can inspire others to join in your commitment. They
pass your values on to your children and grandchildren while teaching them the
importance of using resources wisely to help others. Selecting the right
planned giving vehicle also allows you to reduce your estate and income taxes,
maximize the financial and tax benefits of your gift, and make a larger gift
than you ever thought possible. With our help, you can actually enhance your
own and your family's financial well-being while showing your generosity to the
American Heart Association at the same time. And because planned gifts
typically are arranged now and paid out later, your gift ensures that the
American Heart Association will have the financial resources to build healthier
lives, free of cardiovascular diseases and stroke for years to come.
But don’t just take our word
for it, hear from people like you whose gifts benefit themselves, their
families, and the lives of countless others.
How Do I Make A Planned Gift?
Making a Planned Gift can be as easy as
adding a codicil to your Will or filling out a beneficiary form for your
Retirement Plan. A Charitable Gift Annuity can provide you with income
for the rest of your life while a Charitable Remainder Trust can provide income
for a period of years. Charitable Lead Trusts protect your assets from
burdensome estate taxes. You can gift Real Estate and
still live there with a Retained Life Estate, or give Stock to
charity to avoid capital gains.
How Can the American Heart
Association Help Me Make a Planned Gift?
A
Planned Giving Director in your area is happy to sit down with you and your
estate planning team to craft an Estate Plan that provides for your family,
self, and favorite charities. We can also sign you up for our weekly
financial and legal updates so you get the news that could affect your portfolio,
net worth, and estate plans
How Can I Learn More On My Own?
In
these pages you can compare the benefits of different planned gifts.
Better yet, our Gift Planner asks you a few simple questions to find your
perfect gift plan in minutes! Our Personal Calculators can help you
improve cash flow, avoid unwanted taxes, plan for your retirement or improve
your current retirement. We also have a glossary of esate planning terms
to help put all this legal language into everyday speech.