Include Bear-Paw in your Gift and Estate Planning

Leave a Legacy that Reflects Your Values Remembering Bear-Paw in your gift and estate plans will ensure that your planned commitments to land protection will be realized. Gifts of all sizes are welcome and make a difference. Gifts to Bear-Paw are tax deductible and can benefit your larger estate planning goals. Follow this link if you would like to include Bear-Paw in your estate planning. For more information, contact our office at info@bear-paw.org or 603 463-9400.

Please consider informing us of your intention to leave a gift to Bear-Paw after your passing so that it will give us an opportunity to thank you and, with your permission, recognize your contribution through membership in our Legacy Society.

Below are brief descriptions of some of the planned giving options that are currently available:

Bequests

While there are many different ways to include Bear-Paw in your estate plans, one of the simplest and most flexible is a bequest in which you designate Bear-Paw as a gift recipient in your will. Below is sample language that can be used:

General Bequest "I give to Bear-Paw Regional Greenways of Deerfield, New Hampshire (Federal tax ID #04-3340659) the sum of ____ dollars to be used for its general purposes." Specific Bequest "I give to Bear-Paw Regional Greenways of Deerfield, New Hampshire (Federal tax ID #04-3340659), my (describe specific property)." Residuary Bequest "I give ___ percent of the rest of my property to Bear-Paw Regional Greenways of Deerfield, New Hampshire (Federal tax ID #04-3340659)." Gifts for a Preferred Purpose: "I give ___ to Bear-Paw Regional Greenways of Deerfield, New Hampshire (Federal tax ID #04-3340659), to be used for the following: ___________________________. If the Board of Directors of Bear-Paw Regional Greenways determine at any time that such purpose is obsolete, inappropriate or impracticable, the Directors may use the income or principal of this bequest for whatever purpose they deem advisable."

Life Insurance

Designating Bear-Paw as the beneficiary of your life insurance policy may be attractive to donors:

• who wish to make a sizeable gift through smaller, regular payments;
• who have a life insurance policy that is no longer needed; or
• who can benefit from the tax or estate advantages incurred by the donation.

By naming Bear-Paw as owner and irrevocable beneficiary of the life insurance policy, the donor is entitled to an income tax charitable deduction for the value of the policy at the time of transfer. For policies that are fully paid, the value of the gift is the present value of the policy. For policies that are not fully paid, the present value is calculated. If the donor continues to pay the premiums of a gift policy, the premium payments are also tax deductible. A donor who is not interested in the immediate tax benefits of transferring the life insurance policy or who wishes to retain flexibility regarding the beneficiaries of the policy, may also choose instead to name Bear-Paw as a beneficiary of their life insurance policy.

Retirement Plans

You can name Bear-Paw as the recipient of a portion or the total of the remainder of your retirement plan. Income and estate taxes are avoided on the distribution given to Bear-Paw. To designate Bear-Paw as a beneficiary, simply complete a change of beneficiary form available from your plan administrator.

Gifts of Real Estate with a Retained Life Interest

A donor may give Bear-Paw a personal residence, vacation home or farm while retaining the use of the property and any income generated by the property for life. Unlike a bequest of real estate, which offers tax advantages only after the donor's death, a gift of real estate with retained life interest allows the donor to receive a charitable tax deduction equal to a portion of the value of the property in the year the gift is made. The donor remains responsible for taxes and other costs associated with the property during his or her lifetime.