Charitable Estate Planning for The Environmental Center  
Discover the Benefits of Giving Wisely

Welcome to the Charitable Estate Planning section of The Environmental Center’s (TEC) web site. 

We've created this overview to tell you about some creative giving strategies – strategies that enhance you and your family's well being, as well as the future of TEC.

Making a planned gift offers you flexible and simple ways to combine philanthropy with your financial and estate planning.  In fact, a planned gift may help you give more to protect our environment than you thought possible, while still providing you or someone you designate with favorable financial and/or tax benefits.

Planned gifts to The Environmental Center are about planning for the future: your future and the future of Central Oregon's environment.  Our programs depend upon your goodwill.  To that end, there are many easy options from which you can choose – from naming TEC as a beneficiary in your will to a life-income arrangement.

Should you remember The Environmental Center with an estate gift, you will qualify to be come a Legacy Member of the Natural Heritage Society.   Click here to learn more about the Natural Heritage Society.

If you have already remembered us in your estate plan, or are planning to do so, please fill out our Confidential Intent Form.  Click here to download the form.




BEQUESTS
A popular and easy planned giving option is providing for TEC with a bequest in your will or revocable trust.  After your lifetime TEC receives the gift and applies it to the purposes(s) you specified.
Benefits
•    Your assets remain in your control during your lifetime.
•    You can modify your bequest if your circumstances change.
•    You can direct your bequest to a particular purpose (check with TEC to make sure your gift can be used as intended).
•    There is no upper limit on the estate tax deductions that can be taken for charitable bequests.
•    You know that your gift will benefit TEC tomorrow just as you intend it to today.

For more detailed information on making a bequest to TEC, click here.

IRA GIFT
Naming TEC as the beneficiary of your IRA, 401(k) or other qualified plan is another simple way to give.  After your lifetime, the residue of your plan can be passes to TEC tax-free. 
Benefits
•    You can escape both income AND estate tax levied on the residue left in your retirement plan by leaving it to TEC.
•    Give the most-taxed asset in your estate to TEC and leave more favorably taxed property to your heirs.
•    You can continue to take withdrawals during your lifetime.
•    You can change the beneficiary or designation should your circumstances change.


INSURANCE GIFT
You can provide for a future gift to TEC by naming us as a beneficiary of a life insurance policy on your life.  At death the proceeds are paid directly to TEC and we apply them to the program(s) you have designated.
Benefits
•    If TEC becomes the owner and beneficiary of the policy you can receive a tax deduction for the gift.
•    If using an existing policy that you no longer see as a necessary part of your financial plans, it can turn into a special future gift for TEC.


CHARITABLE REMAINDER UNITRUST
A very simple way to explain this type of gift is it is a gift that gives back by providing you income or income for your designated beneficiaries.  How it works you transfer cash, securities or other appreciated property, such as real estate into a trust.  Each year the trust pays a percentage of its value to you or to the beneficiaries you name.  The trust value is re-computed annually, so payments change from year to year.  When the trust terminates the remaining balance is passed on to TEC.
Benefits
•    You receive an immediate income tax deduction for a portion of your contribution to the unitrust.
•    The trust pays no capital gains tax when it sells the asset you have contributed to the trust.
•    You or your designated beneficiaries receive income for life or for a term of years.
•    You can make additional gifts to the trust as your circumstances allow and quality for additional tax deductions and increased trust payments.
•    You have the satisfaction of making a significant gift that benefits you now and TEC later.


CHARITABLE GIFT ANNUITY
This is another gift that provides income.  With this gift you transfer cash or appreciated securities to TEC and we pay you, or up to two annuitants, a lifetime annuity.  The principal passes to TEC after the lifetime of the income beneficiaries.
Benefits
•    You receive an immediate income tax deduction for a portion of your gift.
•    Your annuity payments are treated as part ordinary income and part tax-free income.
•    If the gift is funded with appreciated property, your annuity payments are also part capital gain income and part tax-free income.
•    You have the satisfaction of making a significant gift that benefits you now and TEC later.

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