PROTECT OUR WATERSHED—EVEN BEYOND YOUR LIFETIME.

Have you considered protecting the Ogeechee River basin in your estate plan? By leaving a legacy gift to Ogeechee Riverkeeper, you can help to preserve, protect, and improve our watershed for generations to come. These planned donations also offer benefits to you and your family.

» tip: stack donations for a single year into a Donor Advised Fund and then donate out of it for a few years.

If you are interested in including ORK in your estate plan, the first step is to speak with a lawyer or financial professional. If you do not already have one, Ogeechee Riverkeeper suggests finding these services in the digital directory of the Savannah Estate Planning Council. A professional can help you structure your planned gift for maximum investment and estate planning benefit to you and your family.

» tip: contribute appreciated property, like stocks or shares in mutual funds. If you itemize, you can usually deduct the full value.

BECOME PART OF THE LEGACY SOCIETY

By pledging $10,000 or more in assets through planned giving, donors can become part of the Legacy Society. In addition to supporting the important daily work throughout the watershed, the Legacy Society will ensure the organization can protect future generations.

Contact the Riverkeeper to learn more about planned giving and ORK

 


Choose the giving option that’s right for you: your planned gift can be made through a bequest, retirement plan, or life insurance policy. No matter your stage in life, planned giving can benefit you and your loved ones.

BEQUESTS
Bequests are gifts made through your will. They can be made in the form of a specific gift of cash or property, a general sum of money, or a percentage of the remainder of an estate or trust and they are distributed at your death. The full amount of your bequest is usually deductible for estate tax purposes.

» tip: If you donate a highly appreciated stock, its full value can be a charitable deduction and you won’t pay capital gains if you transfer the shares “in kind” to ORK.

LIFE INSURANCE POLICIES
By making small payments each year into your policy for a number of years, you can leave a bequest of sizable proportions to Ogeechee Riverkeeper. Upon the death of the insured, the policy proceeds going to ORK will be an estate tax charitable deduction.

There are two ways to ways to give a gift of a life insurance policy:

Gift of existing policy: ORK becomes the owner and beneficiary. You get an immediate charitable income tax deduction for the lesser of current cash value or premiums paid. Any future premiums you pay are deductible as contributions.

Name ORK as a beneficiary of a new or existing policy: You keep control of the policy while naming ORK as a full or partial beneficiary. For this gift, you are entitled to a charitable deduction for the value of the initial premium and you will receive additional deductions when you make later premium payments.

» tip: Tell your insurer to designate the amount to “Ogeechee-Canoochee Riverkeeper.”

RETIREMENT PLANS
Retirement Plans are one of the best assets to own during your life, but the worst asset to own at death. At death, retirement plan assets are subject to income and estate taxes and their value can be reduced by as much as 75%. Naming ORK as beneficiary of funds in your retirement plan is an easy way to reduce the size of the taxable assets and avoid subjecting the estate or beneficiary to income taxation at your death.

The IRA Charitable Rollover also provides an excellent opportunity to make a gift during your lifetime from an asset that would be subject to multiple levels of taxation if it remained in your taxable estate.

» tip: Since ORK is a qualified charity, retirees over age 70.5 can give tax free out of their IRA and satisfy required minimum distribution rules at the same time. 

Contact the Riverkeeper to learn more about planned giving and ORK