Donations | Planned Giving

Donations to the Lloyd Center are important source of revenue, and are key to the
Lloyd Center’s ability to continue its key role in environmental education and research in southeastern Massachusetts, and engaging the interest of over 13,000 children annually.

Many people make outright gifts of cash or securities to charitable organizations every day. The organization gains immediate use of their gift and the donor realizes immediate income tax savings.  Typically, donors give to make a difference, leave a legacy or to leverage other’s gifts.

There are a number of different ways to make a donation that require some additional planning.  For example, a lead trust gives income to a non-profit for a certain amount of time and the assets are retained by a family.  With a gift annuity, an investment vehicle is found where the income goes to the family and the assets to a non-profit.  A planned gift often includes a donor’s assets instead of income, and may involve a third-party such as a lawyer, accountant or financial advisor.  Some planned gifts allow current tax savings.
 
Through outright donations or other “planned gifts,” you can support organizations as they make an important difference in your community. What better way to support the people or organizations that you believe in? Gifts of all sizes are important. Charitable giving is not only for the rich!

Your gift ensures that the Lloyd Center continues to be a strong and trusted voice in our community.

Planned Giving:  Continue to Make a Difference!

I have children and grandchildren. Shouldn’t I leave my entire estate to them?

This is probably the #1 reason people don’t make planned charitable gifts. The truth is that, depending on the current tax laws, leaving a gift to charity by bequest in a will may significantly reduce the taxes payable upon death. Again, please consider consulting with a financial advisor or attorney to learn how giving may actually benefit your family.

Six Easy Ways to Give

1. Prepare a will. Believe it or not, only 42% of Americans have one! By preparing a will, and making a gift to the charitable organization of your choice, you retain control over how you wish to distribute your assets.  Your gift can be a specific dollar amount or a percentage of assets. It is very simple to designate a beneficiary under your will, and when a gift is made through a will, the charitable tax credit is received by the estate that year, and can offset any tax owing from the estate.  If you plan to include the Lloyd Center in your will, please consider becoming a member of the Potomska Society.

2. Consider using assets for your charitable gift. Many people have tight cash flow but substantial assets, such as a house that has appreciated in value.  Assets include but aren't limited to: stocks, bonds, real estate, vehicles, art and jewelry. Such gifts typically provide tax savings.

3. Name the Lloyd Center as the beneficiary of your existing life insurance policy, or purchase a new life insurance policy naming your favorite charity as the owner and beneficiary.  Often mutual funds and Certificates of Deposit (CDs) allow beneficiary designations.

4. Name the Lloyd Center as the beneficiary of your existing pension plan,
401(k)s, IRA or Keough accounts.  While there are a variety of different types of retirement plans, typically distributions from the plan become taxable at the time when they are paid out to the beneficiary or beneficiaries. With the exception of one's surviving spouse, the beneficiaries could find themselves paying as many as three different types of taxes (income tax, estate tax and generation skipping transfer tax), significantly reducing the value of the assets.  Upon the death of the retirement plan participant, the interest passes to charity and is tax free since charities are generally tax-exempt.

Note: In 2007 only, the Pension Protection Act enables citizens 70 1/2 or older, to take up to $100,000, tax-free from their IRA or Roth IRA if distributions are made directly to a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization.

5. Remember loved ones with memorial gifts.

6. Encourage family and friends to leave gifts to charity in their wills.

Please consider talking with a financial advisor, estate planning lawyer or other qualified advisor regarding a will, a living trust or whatever else may best suit your unique needs. Tax laws and gift options continue to change, and it is best that you understand all your options.

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Sample Bequest Language

The Lloyd Center for the Environment
(Deductible for Estate Tax Purposes) Tax ID 043-066-693

I give ____________________ to the Lloyd Center for the Environment, a Massachusetts 501(c) 3 nonprofit corporation, located at 430 Potomska Road, Dartmouth, MA, 02748 (Attention: Director of Planned Giving), to be used to support the charitable activities of the Lloyd Center for their research and education programs.  This bequest shall be used at such times and for such unrestricted purposes as the Lloyd Center in its discretion shall determine.

If there is a specific program you would like to support, including one of the endowments, please contact us. We can help you plan a gift that meets both your needs and our mission.