Common throughout West Michigan, the oak tree is one of the enduring symbols of strength, stability, and timelessness. As such, it is the perfect symbol of the Land Conservancy of West Michigan’s Legacy Society. By including us in your estate plans, you will join a group of dedicated people–our Circle of Oaks–who are committed to sustaining the work of the Land Conservancy for future generations.
A planned gift is a way to support the Land Conservancy in the future through arrangements you make today. Planned giving allows you to make charitable gifts, continue to meet your current income needs, and take advantage of current tax incentives.
Through planned giving, supporters of the Land Conservancy of West Michigan can leave a legacy that will help ensure that special natural areas are protected forever. Planned gifts can take a number of different forms including bequests, beneficiary designations, trusts, and gifts of real property.
Bequests are gifts made as part of a will or trust and are one of the most popular and flexible ways to support the causes that are important to you and your family. A bequest can be to a person or a trust, or it can be a charitable bequest to a nonprofit organization such as the Land Conservancy.
Anyone can make a bequest—in any amount—to an individual or charity. Bequests can be simple—”I give $1,000 to my grandson”—or they can be complex, with conditions about how the gifts can be used. They are paid out after your lifetime. You need to leave instructions to make a bequest, typically in a will. Other documents, such as beneficiary designations and revocable living trusts, may also be part of how your estate plan is managed after your death. You can detail different types of bequests in your will and update it throughout your life as your family, priorities, and wishes evolve.
It’s easy to include a bequest to the Land Conservancy in your will. You can make your bequest unrestricted or direct it to a specific purpose, such as land acquisition or nature preserve stewardship. You may also indicate a specific amount or percentage of the balance remaining in your estate.
Gifts of real property may be made to the Land Conservancy through a bequest or retained life estate for either resale or conservation purposes. The Land Conservancy welcomes donations of ecologically critical natural land in West Michigan, however not every property is ideally situated to become a nature preserve. If you have property that you are interested in donating to the Land Conservancy, please contact us to learn more.
David and Diana Morgenstern became supporters of the Land Conservancy of West Michigan through The Highlands project, for which David was a campaign co-chair. Inspired by the organization’s dedication to keeping nature nearby for future generations, the Morgensterns decided to include a bequest to the Land Conservancy of West Michigan in their estate plans.
“The people I volunteered with (on The Highlands project) all have the same goal: preserve nature. They all take that to heart,” David said. “That’s what I enjoy, is sharing that same excitement.”
A beneficiary designation is the description of the person, persons, or charity you want to receive a specific asset upon your death. A beneficiary designation gift is a simple and affordable way to make a gift to support the Land Conservancy. You can designate us as a beneficiary of a retirement, investment or bank account, or your life insurance policy.
An easy way to leave a legacy is by designating the Land Conservancy as a beneficiary of part or all of your retirement plan or your IRA. Normally, the assets held in an IRA or retirement plan will be subject to both income tax and estate taxes, but if you name the Land Conservancy as a beneficiary of a percentage (or all) of your plan, that portion will pass to the Land Conservancy free of income or estate taxes.
You can designate funds from your brokerage or investment account to be transferred to the Land Conservancy, sometimes called a “Transfer on Death” (TOD) designation. It is not necessary to transfer all of the account assets solely to the Land Conservancy, you can designate any percentage of the account to a charity, individual, business, or trust.
George & Gretchen Zuiderveen developed a love for the great outdoors as children. Both credit their parents, who took them hiking, camping, fishing, and exploring, pointing out the marvels of the natural world. The Zuiderveens have chosen to leave a legacy through a beneficiary designation to the Land Conservancy from their IRA account. “We want to ‘give it forward’ to others who wish to explore the natural areas in West Michigan!”
Donors may choose from a variety of charitable trust options with benefits to the donor, including:
Jerry & Linda Bakke have fond memories of growing up in West Michigan, including hiking and skiing in the dunes. Those experiences shaped a lifelong love of the outdoors and a passion for preservation. The Bakkes have named the Land Conservancy as the beneficiary of a living trust in their will. “Natural land is an important asset for our children and grandchildren,” says Jerry. “It’s important to preserve it while we can.”
Please consult your financial advisor about the benefits and methods of making a planned gift to be sure which option is right for you. Before you make an estate gift, or if you have already included us in your estate plans, please let us know so we can help you shape your legacy, thank you, and recognize you appropriately during your lifetime.
Email Han Meadway, Development Manager, to learn more about planned giving.