In the past, several generous individuals have made a planned gift that has included the Blank Park Zoo.  They realized that they could continue to make an impact on the Zoo long after they are gone.

If you would like more information on how you can remember the Blank Park Zoo in your estate plan, please contact the Development Office at 515-323-8389 or zoodevelopment@blankparkzoo.org.

The Zoo staff highly recommends that you work with your financial or estate planner when making these decisions.

Wills
Did you know that you could make a provision in your will that provides for the Blank Park Zoo?  A will is a legal record to tell your family how your want your property divided after you die.  Leaving clear directions in your will on how to divide your assets establishes that your desires will be met.

Don’t miss the opportunity to leave a meaningful legacy to the Zoo.  To achieve your goals with reference to bequests to the Blank Park Zoo, please contact the Development Office at 515-323-8389 or zoodevelopment@blankparkzoo.org.

Retirement Plan Assets
Did you know you could leave your retirement plan to the Blank Park Zoo?  The advantage to doing this is the avoidance of income taxes as well as estate taxes.  After your lifetime, the undistributed balance in a retirement plan account will have to be distributed and taxed to someone else.  Because the Blank Park Zoo is tax-exempt, the deferred income in your qualified retirement plan account may never be taxed when you name the Zoo as the ultimate beneficiary.  If you would like to have your children benefit from your retirement account, you can designate a specific amount to be paid to the Zoo before the division of the balance among you’re your children.

See your financial or estate planner to make sure your specific philanthropic objectives are met.

Life Insurance
Did you know you could leave your life insurance policy to the Blank Park Zoo?  Consider these benefits:

• You can get an income tax deduction by naming the Zoo as beneficiary and assigning ownership of the policy to the Zoo, you can get a valuable income tax charitable deduction.
• Your income is not cut. A gift of an insurance policy won’t reduce your current income.
• Your gift is easily arranged. You can transfer ownership of an insurance policy to the Zoo without the legal expense of preparing a will or codicil.

When you no longer need the protection of your life insurance, your insurance gift to the Zoo will strengthen the Zoo and save you taxes.

Here’s how your income tax deduction is calculated.  When you contribute a policy on which premiums remain to be paid, your deduction generally is close to its case surrender value – actually, a bit more.  When you contribute a paid-up policy your deduction is generally what it would cost to replace the policy at your age and state of health at the time of your gift, but never more than your investment in the policy.  (The insurance company can calculate these values.)

If you’d rather hold on to your policy, you can consider naming the Zoo the contingent or partial beneficiary of your insurance.  There are no immediate income tax benefits from doing this, but you will still provide valuable assistance to the Zoo at no current cost.

Giving Real Estate
Did you know you could leave real estate property to the Zoo?  You can leave your personal residence, farm, vacation home, commercial property or parcel of undeveloped land to the Zoo.

A gift of real estate offers you the opportunity for valuable income tax and estate tax savings.  You also won’t have to burden yourself in selling the property.  A gift of real estate will make a significant impact on the Zoo.

Charitable Gift Annuities
A Blank Park Zoo charitable gift annuity will pay you (and a survivor, if desired) a fixed dollar amount when you make an irrevocable gift to the Zoo to further our goals.  The amount is determined by your age at the time of your contribution.

If you itemize deductions, you can take a charitable deduction for part of the value of your gift when you file that year’s income tax return.  The amount of the deduction depends on your age.  A sizable part of each annuity payment is also tax-free, again determined by treasury tables.

You can also defer your immediate payment under a gift annuity until a later date, such as your retirement.  You can make the contribution now; secure the income tax charitable deduction and the Zoo will agree to pay you a guaranteed life income starting at any date you select.

A charitable gift annuity is a gift that gives you guaranteed and attractive retirement income with no investment worries or responsibilities.  It also provides a way for you to make a special and enduring gift to the Blank Park Zoo.

Charitable Remainder Trusts
The Annuity Trust
This is a trust you create to pay yourself a known annual income that is determined at the outset, based on your personal needs and circumstances.  After your lifetime, the corpus of your trust goes to the Blank Park Zoo as an enduring contribution to fulfill purposes you have designated.  The annuity trust is a plan authorized by tax law to encourage philanthropy.  You are entitled to some very desirable tax benefits when you establish an annuity trust.

The Charitable Remainder Unitrust
A unitrust, which offers a variety of special features, gives you the opportunity to create your own investment program.  You establish a unitrust to provide yourself a life income.  The amount you receive is a set percentage of the current value of the unitrust, determined annually.  The percentage is based on your personal circumstances and needs.

After your lifetime, the principal of your trust goes to the Blank Park Zoo to fulfill your desire to support the Zoo.

The Charitable Lead Trust
A charitable lead trust gives the Blank Park Zoo an income from certain assets for a number of years.  Then you have the principal go to your family or returned to you.  You will enjoy valuable tax benefits without forfeiting the trust principal.  More importantly, you will support the Zoo’s needs during the current years.

Please see your financial or estate planner to make sure your specific philanthropic objectives are met.  You can also call the Development Office at the Blank Park Zoo at 515-323-8389 as well.