Will or Trust
About This Gift
A charitable bequest through your will or revocable trust is an easy and flexible way to help us in our mission to build a world of longer, healthier lives. Your will or trust gives you peace of mind knowing your loved ones are taken care of, your assets are distributed accurately, and your gift reflects your personal values. By including a bequest to the American Heart Association in your estate plan, you ensure you’re leaving a lasting impact that will sustain our work into the future.
Benefits
- You retain control of your assets throughout your lifetime.
- You main flexibility with the ability to modify your bequest as your circumstances change.
- You can customize how to make your gift by specifying a specific dollar amount, a particular asset (such as stock or real estate) or name the Association as a remainder/residual beneficiary of your estate by leaving a percentage of whatever remains of your estate after all specific bequests are paid.
How It Works
- Plan today for a future gift to the American Heart Association by including a bequest in your will or revocable trust.
- Your will or trust passes assets you specify to your heirs after your lifetime.
- Your will or trust directs a bequest to the American Heart Association after your lifetime to help us sustain our mission.
Qualified Charitable Distribution
About This Gift
If you are 70 ½ years or older and have a traditional IRA, you are eligible to make a tax-free donation directly from your IRA to the American Heart Association called a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD). Generally speaking, these gifts are tax-free and can be a smarter way to support American Heart Association this year.
For those aged 72 and older, Qualified Charitable Distributions can count towards your required minimum distribution, allowing you to use your IRA to support heart healthy lives today, tomorrow, and for generations to come.
Thanks to the Legacy IRA Act, the annual qualified charitable distribution (QCD) limit of $100,000 is now indexed for direct gifts to charity. Individuals age 70½ or older are permitted to make distributions from their IRA directly to charity and avoid reporting of the income.
The American Heart Association works with FreeWill, making it easy for you to donate from your IRA.
Benefits
- It’s a tax-efficient way to make an impact. Because the distribution isn’t taxable income, it’s effectively a charitable deduction.
- You can direct your gift to a specific fund or purpose within the American Heart Association.
- The distribution can count towards your annual required minimum distribution (RMD) for those 72 and older.
- It’s a special opportunity for individuals aged 70½ and older to give up to $100,00 annually.
How It Works
- Notify your IRA custodian to make a direct transfer of the gift amount from your IRA to the American Heart Association. Or simply make your gift quickly and securely using our online platform.
- Obtain a written acknowledgement from the American Heart Association (different from a tax deduction receipt) to benefit from the tax-free treatment.
Stocks, Bonds, Mutual Funds
About This Gift
When you gift stocks and other securities, you make an outsized impact without taking money directly out of your bank account. Plus, neither you nor the American Heart Association will be taxed on the gains for appreciated assets you donate.
Benefits
- You may receive immediate income tax savings.
- You may be able to avoid capital gains tax on appreciated stock.
- When you give appreciated stocks directly to charity, your gift can be up to 20% larger because you avoid the taxes you’d incur from selling and donating the cash.
- Stock gifts are easy to transfer using our platform powered by FreeWill.
- Donations of appreciated securities may be designated for a specific fund or purpose in the association’s mission.
How It Works
- Select which securities to donate.
- Submit a request to transfer the securities.
- Your stock is transferred to the American Heart Association and sold to fund our lifesaving work.
Ready to donate? Call 888-227-5242 to talk to your representative or to request more information on making a gift of stock.
Life Insurance
About This Gift
When the original purpose for a life insurance policy no longer applies, you can donate your policy to the American Heart Association to help fight heart disease and stroke.
Benefits
- When you transfer ownership of a life insurance policy, you can receive an immediate income tax deduction for the cash value of the policy. Donating life insurance allows you to make a significant lifesaving gift today without affecting your cash flow during your lifetime.
How It Works
- You transfer ownership of a fully paid-up life insurance policy to the American Heart Association.
- The Association may cash in the policy immediately, or elect to keep the policy and receive the benefits later.
