Have you considered making charitable contributions through your will or other forms of planned giving? Leaving a legacy for the future has a profound impact on charitable organizations and can provide people with great satisfaction knowing that the work they admire and support now will continue to benefit from their support even after they are gone.
Some of our annual donors have made provisions to continue to support FSM beyond their lifetime through various means of planned giving. They are members of FSM’s Attean Circle.
Planned Giving Options
Bequests
The most common method of planned giving is a charitable bequest. Simply put, a bequest is a gift that is transferred after death by will or trust. This gift might be a specified amount or asset, or a percentage of one’s estate. Your estate is reduced by the full fair market value of a charitable gift, thereby potentially reducing the impact of the federal transfer tax on the estate.
I have always found the north Maine woods to be an effective source of serenity and enjoyment. My love for these lands led me to the Forest Society of Maine whose work exemplifies my desire to help maintain the traditions and values of the woods and waters I so enjoy. I chose to make a provision in my will for FSM to help them sustain their important work. It just plain makes me feel good now, to know I have helped FSM’s ability to keep up its great mission long after I am gone.”
– Gordon Hall III
Gift Annuities
Another popular form of planned giving is the gift annuity. In periods of market volatility and limited fixed-income options for investors, annuities can be very appealing giving vehicles combining attractive payment rates, favorable tax treatment, and a charitable gift. A gift annuity is a contract under which an organization, in return for a transfer of cash or securities, agrees to pay a fixed sum of money at stated intervals for a period measured by one or two lives. After that point, the organization will receive the remainder of the principle of the annuity. The Forest Society of Maine uses Maine Community Foundation to handle gift annuities. Minimum age and contribution levels apply to establishing gift annuities.
Securing a lasting future for Maine’s North Woods has been a lifelong interest of mine. The Forest Society of Maine’s gift annuity program allowed me to make a commitment toward that goal for the long-term, while helping me secure a reliable income for life.”
– John M. Kauffmann
Life Insurance
An easy way of including FSM in one’s planned giving is by naming the Forest Society of Maine as a beneficiary on a life insurance policy.
The Forest Society of Maine is a charity in good standing and registered with the state of Maine. Our legal name is “Forest Society of Maine”
For more information on planned giving, please contact Janice Melmed at our Bangor office.
You should consult with your legal and financial advisors regarding any planned giving considerations.
