Leaving a Gift in Your Will or by Beneficiary Designation
Most legacy gifts cost you nothing now. No immediate contribution is required, and you can change your beneficiaries at any time. Once your family and friends are provided for, we hope you’ll consider leaving a gift to the American Battlefield Trust in your will or trust or by beneficiary designation so future generations can walk the ground and understand the events that occurred there.
Gifts by Bequest
A bequest is one of the most popular ways to ensure that the American Battlefield Trust can continue our mission for years to come. With a bequest, you retain control of your assets during your lifetime and can change your beneficiaries at any time. You can complete your gift with just a few sentences in your will or trust.
Here are some of the ways that most people leave a gift to the American Battlefield Trust:
- General bequests leave the American Battlefield Trust a gift of a specific dollar amount or a specific asset.
- Residuary bequest leaves a gift to the American Battlefield Trust of a percentage of the “rest, residue and remainder” of your estate after other bequests, debts, and taxes have been paid.
- Specific bequest leaves the American Battlefield Trust a specific dollar amount or stated fraction of your estate or a specified gift of property.
- Contingent bequest leaves the American Battlefield Trust with a stated share of your estate, only if a spouse, partner, family member, or other beneficiary does not survive you.
Gifts by Beneficiary Designation
You can designate the American Battlefield Trust as a beneficiary of retirement accounts, life insurance plans, CDs, bank accounts, brokerage accounts, and other assets. It’s as simple as contacting the firm that holds your assets and asking them for a beneficiary form to fill out. This type of gift is among the easiest to make and has a lasting impact on our nation’s hallowed battlegrounds for years to come.
Retirement Plan Gift
Retirement assets are among the most heavily taxed, making them an ideal resource for charitable giving once you no longer need the assets yourself. As a tax-exempt nonprofit organization, the American Battlefield Trust is exempt from paying the taxes that might otherwise be owed. Consider making the American Battlefield Trust a beneficiary of your retirement assets and leaving other, less heavily taxed assets to loved ones.
Life Insurance Gift
Life insurance is an affordable way to leave a gift to the American Battlefield Trust while also enjoying tax savings during your lifetime. Benefits include:
- A significant gift from disposable income at a fraction of the value.
- Tax savings can be immediately realized.
- Your donation could reduce the final taxes of your estate.
- Insurance gifts transfer outside the estate.
CDs, Bank and Brokerage Accounts
One of the easiest ways you can help preserve our national battlefields is by making the American Battlefield Trust the beneficiary of a certificate of deposit, a checking or savings bank account, or a brokerage account. Simply request a Pay on Death (POD) or Transfer on Death (TOD) designation form from your financial institution.
Donor-Advised Fund Residuals
Final distribution of contributions remaining in a donor-advised fund is governed by the contract you completed when you created your fund. We hope you will consider naming the American Battlefield Trust as a beneficiary of your account. Or, you can name us the beneficiary of a portion of the account value, leaving the remaining portion for your heirs to continue your legacy of philanthropy.
Leaving a Legacy
More than 1,500 passionate Americans have joined our Honor Guard to leave a lasting legacy of battlefield preservation. Their stories are as personal as they are patriotic, rooted in family history, a love of country, and a desire to protect the hallowed ground where our nation was shaped.
Meaghan K. Hogan
Planned Giving Manager
202-367-1861
legacy@battlefields.org
We're Here to Help
Our experienced team is here to help you
- Learn about special projects that align with your interests.
- Structure a donation that maximizes benefits for you and your loved ones.
- Stay up to date on how your gift is used.
- And more!