How To Help: Planned Giving

HUMANE SOCIETY OF PULASKI COUNTY PLANNED GIVING Animal lovers are a special breed of people. The Humane Society of Pulaski County is lucky to be supported by some of the kindest, most generous people in the world. Our community recognizes that it is only through constant support and donations that we can continue to provide assistance to Pulaski County’s animals in need. We often are asked how people can do more to support our cause. One option is planned giving.

It is a certainty that the Humane Society of Pulaski County will continue to provide for Pulaski County’s homeless animal population long after you and I are gone. Planned Giving allows you to provide a brighter future for our most vulnerable of companions by planning an estate that will accurately reflect your life.

An individual may provide for a future gift to the Humane Society of Pulaski County through a provision in a will or a revocable trust. A will is your instruction to your family and loved ones about how you want your property distributed. It is a revocable, private document that only takes effect after your death.

A revocable trust (sometimes called a living trust is a legal entity that holds assets during your lifetime, then transfers ownership of them — or benefit from them — upon your death. Unlike a will, a trust must take ownership of assets before it can pass them to your beneficiaries.

The primary difference between a will and a trust is in the distribution process, which, the majority of the time,is simpler with a trust. A trust, however, can be somewhat more complicated to create. Your attorney or financial advisor can assist you in choosing which format would better serve you.

What form should your gift take? Most commonly, gifts through wills or trusts take one of the following forms: A specific sum. You may direct that a specific amount of money be given to the Humane Society of Pulaski County. A percentage of an estate: You may direct that a specified percentage of your estate be left to the Humane Society of Pulaski County.

However, there are additional options to consider when planning an estate and including a charitable contribution: Securities (Stocks, Notes, Bonds): You may choose to donate stocks, notes, and bonds to the Humane Society of Pulaski County through your will or trust. When the Humane Society of Pulaski County receives shares of stock, our Board of Directors has the option of selling the shares at current prices, maintaining the stock to sell when the price rises, or holding onto the stock in order to receive dividend income.

The Humane Society of Pulaski County will strive to make the most of any such gift. Interest in real estate: Depending on the circumstances, gifts of real estate can be an effective means of Planned Giving. Leaving a home, farm, or other suitable real estate to the Human Society of Pulaski County might be a viable option. We do ask that all individuals considering donating real estate to the Humane Society of Pulaski County communicate their desire and work with us to assess the benefits and feasibility of such a donation.

Personal property: In planning your estate, it is important to remember property such as works of art, antiques, stamp and coin collections, and jewelry. You may choose to bequest these items to the Humane Society of Pulaski County. You also may choose to bequest items which could benefit our animals, staff, volunteers, or facilities.

Options: How will my gift be used? An unrestricted gift to the Humane Society of Pulaski County will be applied toward our area(s) of greatest need. Such gifts are extremely valuable as they may touch, affect, and improve several areas of our organization and operation, or may provide assistance and save lives in emergency situations.

You may also have a vision, purpose, or goal in mind when including the Humane Society of Pulaski County in your estate planning. If you would like to discuss ways a gift could be applied toward a specific cause, please contact us.

Advantages of planned giving through wills and trusts: When considering planned giving through bequest, there are some benefits to keep in mind. Primarily, your assets remain in your control. Should circumstances change, you have the freedom to alter your plan. You also have the option of determine priority. You can choose to give to the Humane Society of Pulaski County directly, or you may choose to leave the residual of your estate to us; that is, the remainder of your estate following a specified distribution to your heirs and other loved ones. You may also designate the Humane Society of Pulaski County as an alternative beneficiary in the event your primary beneficiary predeceases you.

A charitable bequest or trust distribution is deductible for federal estate tax purposes, and there is no limit on the deduction your estate can claim. See an attorney or your financial advisor for more details.

How to proceed: Contact us for information.Info@warmhearts.org

If you would like to include the Humane Society of Pulaski County in your will or trust, it is important that you identify us by our full and proper legal name. Additionally, if you would like for your gift to be used for a specific purpose, it would be helpful to discuss your wishes with us in order to protect and communicate your vision. Please remember that any communication concerning your will or trust will be kept confidential as your plan your estate.

If you have an existing will or trust, you can include the Humane Society of Pulaski County without rewriting the entire document. Your attorney can prepare a simple statement, called a codicil, that adds a new bequest to us while reaffirming the other terms of your will. Similarly, your can prepare an amendment to your revocable trust to add the Humane Society of Pulaski County as a beneficiary.

Other options: For other options as to how to utilize planned giving to protect and provide for Pulaski County’s homeless animals, contact your attorney, financial advisor, or the Humane Society of Pulaski County.