Planned Giving

One of the simplest ways to make a gift to Robin Hood is to designate Robin Hood as a beneficiary that will receive some of  your assets at the end of your lifetime. You can specify all or a percentage of the assets you want each beneficiary to receive. Often, it’s as easy as filling out a form.

Beneficiary designations are an option for giving the following financial assets:

• Retirement Account Assets: This gift is simple because there is no need to modify your will or living trust. All you need to do is complete a beneficiary designation form with your plan administrator. A gift of retirement assets is also a very tax-wise way to make an estate gift. Your retirement assets, if left to individuals, will be subject to income tax when they receive distributions and, for most non-spouses, those distributions must take place within 10 years, potentially pushing your beneficiaries into higher income tax brackets. If you give your retirement assets to a tax-exempt organization such as Robin Hood, 100% of the retirement assets will be available for charitable purposes. If you want to remember us in your estate plan, a tax-efficient strategy is to leave your heirs other types of assets — like cash, securities, or real estate — and give the more heavily taxed retirement assets to Robin Hood. Note: Directing your retirement assets to both charitable and non-charitable beneficiaries can accelerate your income tax. Always consult with your advisers before naming the beneficiaries of your retirement assets.
• Life Insurance: You can also use a life insurance policy to make a gift to Robin Hood. It’s usually as simple as completing a form with the insurance company designating Robin Hood as the beneficiary of all or a portion of your life insurance policy’s death benefit. As an alternative to naming Robin Hood as the beneficiary, you can transfer ownership of the policy. Transferring ownership can produce an immediate income tax charitable deduction for the value of the policy and future income tax deductions if you continue to pay premiums on the policy. 

Other Assets

• Commercial Annuity Contracts: A commercial annuity will sometimes have a remaining value at the end of the annuitant’s lifetime. You can name Robin Hood to receive all or part of this amount by designating us as a beneficiary (sole or partial) on the appropriate form from the insurance company.
• Bank Accounts: You can instruct your bank to pay Robin Hood all or a portion of what remains in a checking or savings account. Your bank can provide you with the appropriate beneficiary designation form.
• Investment Accounts: You can instruct your investment company to transfer to Robin Hood some or all investments held in the account at the time of your passing. Your broker or agent can help you complete the process, which may be as simple as amending the name on the account to include Robin Hood.

A beneficiary designation helps you control who receives legacy assets such as:

• Retirement accounts
• Life insurance policy
• Bank accounts such as certificates of deposit and savings accounts
• Investment accounts at brokerage companies
• Commercial annuity contracts