Leaving a Legacy of Love
Estate and planned gifts propel our progress and allow us to continue providing progressive, life-saving programs that meet the current and emerging needs of vulnerable dogs and cats in Doña Ana County. Please keep our vision alive by making an estate gift for the future benefit of pets in need.
Ways to include ACTion Programs for Animals in your planned giving
Some of the largest charitable gifts APA receives come from estate gifts. There are many ways you may structure your estate gift to us, such as:
- A stated dollar amount or percentage of your estate
- A gift of securities (stocks, bonds, or mutual funds)
- A gift of property, such as real estate, collections, art, jewelry, or vehicle
- A share of your residual estate after providing for your heirs and paying debts
- The remainder or a share of a living trust or charitable remainder trust
- List APA as the beneficiary of your savings or investment accounts, such as IRAs and other donor-advised funds
- List APA as the full or partial beneficiary of your life insurance
- Name APA in your will or leave items such as vehicles to us in your will
Planning for Your Pet’s Future
A little planning can give you peace of mind. By deciding now who can take care of your pets if they outlive you, you make a difficult transition much easier for your beloved companion. We can guide you through this process–whether you want your pets to come to APA or to someone you know and trust. We have helped many friends with information about leaving APA a charitable gift and planning for pets—and we would be happy to help you as well. Leave a message for our Executive Director to call you at 575-644-0505, and we can help you start the process.
What is Planned Giving?
The term planned giving refers to a charitable gift that requires some pre-planning. When a donor leaves assets to APA in his or her will, the estate receives a charitable tax deduction.
Types of Planned Gifts
Revocable Living Trust: These trusts are created during the donor’s lifetime and may be changed or revoked at any time. Upon death, ownership of assets is determined immediately as set forth in the trust document. Trust property may forego the probate process—compared to property distributed through a will, which requires probate—ensuring that your charitable wishes are carried out in a timely and cost-effective manner. A gift of this nature may also lower estate taxes.
Charitable Remainder Trust: This trust makes payments, either a fixed amount (annuity trust) or a percentage of trust principal (unitrust), to APA. Provisions may be included that allow income to be redirected back to you, and you may claim a tax deduction as well as not pay capital gains tax if the gift is of appreciated property. At the end of the trust term, APA receives the remaining funds in the trust. Charitable remainder unitrusts provide flexibility in income distribution and thus can be helpful with retirement planning.
Charitable Lead Trust: This trust makes payments, either a fixed amount (annuity trust) or a percentage of trust principal (unitrust), to APA during its term. At the end of the term, the remaining assets can revert back to the donor (a grantor lead trust) or to heirs named by the donor (a non-grantor lead trust.) The donor may claim a charitable tax deduction for funding a grantor or non-grantor lead trust. Since lead trusts are typically used to pass assets to heirs, non-grantor lead trusts are far more common. In this case, assets forego estate taxes at your passing, given that they have been removed from your taxable and probate estate.
Retained Life Estate: A donor may make a gift of his or her personal residence, farm or vacation property to APA and retain the right to live there for the remainder of his or her life. The donor receives an immediate income tax deduction for the gift. At the donor’s death, APA may use or sell the property.
Real Estate: Appreciated real estate may allow a donor to avoid sizeable capital gains taxes. Depending on the appreciation, the tax savings may exceed the original cost of the property. Conversely, if real estate values have decreased over time, donors will benefit more by: 1. selling their depreciated property; 2. taking a capital loss; and, 3. receiving a charitable deduction for their cash gift.
Planned Gifts Outside Your Will
You do not have to make or change a will to benefit APA at the time of your death. Virtually any account that allows you to designate a death beneficiary may be gifted to APA, such as the following:
Life Insurance: You may name ACTion Programs for Animals as your beneficiary, co-beneficiary, or contingent beneficiary of your insurance policies.
Financial Accounts: Most financial accounts may be made Payable on Death (POD) to a named beneficiary, including a nonprofit organization.
Retirement Savings: IRAs, pensions, 401K plans, and other retirement savings arrangements provide for death beneficiaries, including nonprofit organizations.
Property Deeds: Consider naming APA as the Transfer on Death (TOD) beneficiary of your property, such as a house or undeveloped land. A TOD deed bypasses probate and allows a gift of property to transfer directly to APA’s ownership.
Consult Your Financial Advisor
Your financial situation is unique. We strongly recommend that you consult your tax attorney, accountant, or financial advisor to help you include APA in your estate or trust planning. If you or your advisor have any questions for us: mail@apalascruces.org or 575-644-0505.
