The information furnished on these pages is intended as general reference material as you consider making a planned gift to the National Geographic Society. Please remember that it should not be considered specific advice for your situation. You should always consult with your attorney or qualified financial adviser before making philanthropic gifts.
One of the simplest ways to make a gift is through a provision in your will or trust. A gift to National Geographic via bequest may eliminate or reduce U.S. federal estate taxes, because a charitable bequest is fully deductible in determining the taxable portion.
There are a number of ways for you to make a gift to the Society and still secure a valuable source of income for yourself or your loved ones. In exchange for an irrevocable gift of cash or securities, you can receive income for life or for a specific number of years. In addition, you may receive an income tax reduction and avoid capital gains tax if you establish your gift with appreciated securities.
Use our
Planned Giving Calculator for a personal illustration of how life-income gifts can work for you.
Using retirement-plan assets—individual retirement accounts (IRAs), 401(k) plans, Keogh plans, and other retirement-plan accounts—to fund a gift to the National Geographic Society can often be a wise financial decision. Retirement-plan assets are distributed outside of probate and are entirely free from U.S. federal estate and income tax when the tax-exempt National Geographic Society is named as the beneficiary.
When you first obtained your life insurance policies, you obviously felt a need for them. But perhaps you don't need the same amount of coverage today. If you are considering a contribution, a gift of your life insurance could be a sensible and generous course of action.
A charitable lead trust accomplishes two goals: The gift provides National Geographic with a stream of dependable annual income and allows you to make a deferred and tax-wise gift to heirs. Income generated by assets placed in trust supports the important work of National Geographic for a designated period of years, after which the assets pass to your heirs.
For information on how to make a contribution to the National Geographic Society, please contact your professional adviser and the Office of Gift Planning at 800 226 4438 or via email at
plannedgiftinfo@ngs.org.
The information on our Web site is not intended as financial or legal advice. Please consult your own qualified advisers as you consider philanthropic gifts.
