“Live, laugh, love, leave a legacy.”
– Stephen Covey

Let your passion inspire the future. By remembering Mount Shasta Bioregional Ecology Center in your will or estate plan, you will honor your commitment to our natural world and provide support that helps us stay strong, relevant, and vibrant into the future. We invite you to make us a part of your legacy by making this thoughtful choice.

While we continue to depend on regular contributions from supporters, especially new generations of followers, we are looking to our future with this new planned giving initiative.  These special gifts from long-time friends help us flourish, supporting our efforts to preserve, protect and restore Mount Shasta.

A “planned gift” is one of the many ways that friends can choose to express their deep commitment to this work throughout the bioregion. Such a gift also considers  and supports the donor’s specific financial goals and tax circumstances.

Of course, most people will want advice from a qualified attorney, CPA or financial advisor to select the strategy which suits them best while also benefitting the mountain environment we all love, for future generations to come.

Listed below are several common types of planned gifts:

Bequests

The most common type of planned gift is a bequest through a will or trust. Donors can create three types of bequests (naming the Mount Shasta Bioregional Ecology Center as beneficiary):

  • An OUTRIGHT BEQUEST is for a specified asset i.e., a stated amount or percentage of cash, stocks, real estate, or items of personal property. Example: I give, devise and bequeath the sum of $10,000; or 100 shares of the ABC Corporation; or 10% of the total value of my estate to the Mount Shasta Bioregional Ecology Center, a California non-profit, tax-exempt corporation located in Mt. Shasta, California.
  • A RESIDUARY BEQUEST provides for the transfer of all or a portion of an estate that remains after all outright bequest provisions are fulfilled. Example: I give, devise and bequeath the residue; or 25% of the residue of my estate to the Mount Shasta Bioregional Ecology Center, a California non-profit, tax-exempt corporation located in Mt. Shasta, California.
  • A CONTINGENT BEQUEST is made when the original beneficiary named in the will is unable to accept the asset or property. This type of bequest can be all or a portion of an estate. This type of arrangement is advantageous for someone whose main concern is providing for his/her family. For example, a donor can bequeath his/her entire estate to his/her spouse; if the spouse predeceases the donor, the bequest benefits the contingencies.

It is important to include the precise legal name of the Mount Shasta Bioregional Ecology Center when making a bequest to benefit MSBEC.

The correct name should be: Mount Shasta Bioregional Ecology Center, a California non-profit, tax-exempt corporation located in Mt. Shasta, California. Our EIN is 68-0233272.

Gifts of Real Estate

You can make a gift of commercial or residential real estate and receive substantial financial benefits. If you wish to give the property outright, you qualify for a charitable income tax deduction based on the appraised value of the property. If you are contemplating leaving your home to MSBEC through your will, you may consider retaining the right to live in it for your lifetime. You continue to pay taxes, insurance, and maintenance costs. However, by giving now, you receive a substantial charitable income tax deduction in the year the gift is made.

Gifts Outside a Will or Trust

There are several ways of making meaningful charitable gifts without revising your will or trust. Here are a few:

  • Life Insurance – You can name the Mount Shasta Bioregional Ecology Center as the beneficiary of your life insurance policy, or even transfer actual ownership of the policy to us. Simply contact your insurance company to find out how.
  • Financial Accounts – Most accounts at financial institutions can be made payable to benefit a specified charitable organization. Ask the manager of your financial institution how you can arrange to designate the Mount Shasta Bioregional Ecology Center as the beneficiary of your CD, savings account, or brokerage account.
  • IRAs and Pensions – Similarly, you can make MSBEC the beneficiary of your individual retirement account, pension, 401(k) or other retirement savings plan. Ask the firm managing your retirement account how.
  • Living Trusts – If you have established a Living Trust, you can name MSBEC as one of the beneficiaries of your trust at death. Contact your attorney to advise you.

Life Income Gifts

A life income gift is a type of planned gift that allows you to make a contribution to MSBEC and receive an income in return. Depending on the plan, the income may be fixed or variable and can go on for a lifetime, a term of years, or a combination of the two. These gifts are irrevocable once the contribution has been made. Types of life income gifts include Charitable Remainder Trusts and Charitable Remainder Unitrusts, each of which can provide benefits that include:  an immediate tax deduction, avoidance or deferral of capital gains, regular income payments and reduced probate expenses.  Please consult your tax advisor about making a life income gift to support the Ecology Center

Appreciated Securities

Your outright gift of long-term, appreciated securities (stocks, mutual funds, and bonds) is exempt from capital gains taxes and, in most cases, enables you to obtain a charitable income tax deduction equal to the market value of the securities at the time of transfer.  Simply contact us and we’ll email you simple instructions on how to make the transfer.

Making a planned gift to the Mount Shasta Bioregional Ecology Center is a meaningful way to make a lasting contribution that will benefit future generations. To learn more, please call us at 530.926.5655 or send an email to: Bianca@mountshastaecology.org