Benefits

There are two types of charitable trusts:

A charitable remainder annuity trust provides you and/or loved ones with fixed income for life while making a generous gift to National Geographic. The income may continue for the lifetimes of the beneficiaries you name, a fixed term of not more than 20 years, or a combination of the two.

A charitable remainder unitrust provides you and/or other beneficiaries with variable income for life based on the trust's value or for a fixed term. You receive an immediate income tax deduction for a portion of your contribution as well as savings on capital gains taxes.

How a Remainder Trust Works

With a charitable remainder annuity trust, you make a contribution of cash, securities, or other assets into a trust. Each year the trust pays a fixed dollar amount to you or your income beneficiaries. Payments continue until the trust term ends or until the trust distributes all its assets. When the annuity trust term ends, the trust's principal passes to National Geographic to be used to support our mission.

With a charitable remainder unitrust, you make a contribution of cash, securities, or real estate into a trust. Each year the trust pays a percentage of its value to you or your income beneficiaries. Payments change from year to year, as the trust value is recomputed. When the unitrust term ends, the unitrust's principal passes to National Geographic, to be used to support our mission. You may add funds to your unitrust whenever you like and take an additional tax deduction.

Use our Planned Giving Calculator for a personal illustration of how life-income gifts can work for you.

Request Additional Information

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.