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Legacy Gifts

Making a legacy gift in your will or trust is one of the easiest ways to partner in our mission.

There are a variety of ways to make a planned gift to Habitat for Humanity SCNJ, both during the donor’s lifetime and/or through a will or living trust.

 

Bequest

  • Residual bequest: a percentage of the remainder of your estate after other specific legacies have been fulfilled.
  • Specific bequest: a specific dollar amount, stated fraction of your estate, or specified gift-in-kind such as collections, art, books, jewelry, etc.
  • Contingent bequest: a gift that is originally intended for other beneficiaries but, in the event of their prior passing, is redirected as a charitable donation.
 

Gifts by beneficiary designation

When you make a gift to Habitat for Humanity from your retirement plan, insurance plan, or other assets, you make it possible for people to obtain safe, affordable places to call home. Best of all, these gifts are easy to make! Simply contact the firm that holds your assets and complete a beneficiary form.

 

Retirement funds gift

Many people choose to name Habitat for Humanity as a beneficiary of a retirement plan to reduce their taxes and empower families to become self-reliant homeowners.

Benefits:

  • Reduce or eliminate taxes on retirement assets.
  • Remove highly taxable assets from your estate by direct beneficiary designation.
  • Reduce or avoid probate fees.
  • There is no cost to you now.

To name Habitat for Humanity as a beneficiary of your retirement plan, contact your bank or insurance company to see whether a change of beneficiary form must be completed.

 

Life Insurance Policy Gift

If you have a life insurance policy that has outlasted its original purpose, you can use it to fund a legacy gift while enjoying tax savings during your lifetime.

Benefits:

  • Donate ownership and receive a charitable income tax deduction for the market value of the policy.
  • Receive additional tax benefits by making annual gifts so that we can pay the premiums.
  • Some donated policies can be cashed in and put to good use right away.
  • If you retain the policy and name us as beneficiary, the proceeds of your policy will be paid to Habitat for Humanity and your estate will receive the tax deduction from the charitable gift receipt.
 

Savings bonds

If you have bonds that have stopped earning interest and you plan to redeem them, you will owe income tax on the appreciation. In the end, your heirs will receive only a fraction of the value of the bonds in which you so carefully invested.

Since Habitat for Humanity is a tax-exempt institution, naming us as a beneficiary ensures that 100 percent of your gift will go toward families in need of decent, affordable housing.

 

CDs, bank accounts, and brokerage accounts

Naming Habitat as the beneficiary of a certificate of deposit, a checking or savings bank account, or a brokerage account is one of the easiest ways to positively impact our homeowner families.

 

Donor-advised fund residuals

Final distribution of contributions remaining in a donor-advised fund is governed by the contract you completed when you created your fund. Please consider naming Habitat as a successor of your account or a portion of your account value.

 

Other ways to leave your legacy

IRA charitable rollover

A permanent giving option. Many donors feel that directly transferring funds from IRAs is a great way to help families and create a legacy. This is now a permanent option.

Gifts of property

You can donate appreciated real estate, such as a home, vacation property, undeveloped land, farmland, ranch, or commercial property. This is an effective way to fund a legacy gift that will assist families with building sustainable, decent homes.

You can make this generous gift while still using the property throughout your lifetime, and you may even receive a tax deduction for your gift.

Gifts of stock

Stocks, bonds, and mutual funds that have appreciated in value are among the most financially advantageous ways to ensure that Habitat for Humanity can continue to provide affordable, safe housing.

You may receive a charitable income tax deduction for the full market value of the stock (up to a maximum of 30 percent of your adjusted gross income) and avoid paying the capital gains tax on any increase in the value of the stock.

Savings bonds

Normally, when you redeem savings bonds, you or the person to whom you leave your bonds will owe income tax on the appreciation. Since Habitat for Humanity is tax-exempt, 100 percent of your gift of savings bonds will support our mission to bring people together to build homes and strong communities.

Habitat for Humanity Legacy Society

It would be our distinct honor to welcome you to the Habitat for Humanity Legacy Society.

By making a permanent gift to Habitat through your will, trust, or beneficiary designation, you ensure that our partnership will endure long after your lifetime until our shared vision is realized and everyone has a decent place to live. Imagine what your gift  will mean for families as they move into their first home or for communities that are reborn when new homeowners arrive bursting with their well-deserved pride of ownership.

Becoming a Legacy Society member is easy. Simply complete this form (declaration of intent) to let us know that you have included HFHBMC in your estate plans. We will maintain your membership confidentially if you choose to remain anonymous.