GROW WILDLIFE LEGACY MEMBERS

Planned Giving: Combining Philanthropy with Financial Planning

The GROW Wildlife Endowment Fund has been formed to ensure that we will have financial support for years to come. By including GROW Wildlife in your estate plan, you support our important work ensuring that our mission to encourage wildlife conservation by promoting and providing professional veterinary care, education, and humane treatment of wildlife injured or disadvantaged by human activity need for conservation continues for generations to come. Planned gifts are directed to GROW Wildlife’s Endowment Fund, a permanent fund that supports wildlife veterinary services programs and the future growth of GROW Wildlife. While benefiting GROW Wildlife in a lasting way, your planned gift may have great personal benefit by reducing estate taxes, avoiding capital gains, and increasing cash flow. GROW Wildlife Legacy members will receive special recognition in the annual report, on Donor Walls of future GROW Wildlife hospitals, and enjoy an annual breakfast with the GROW Wildlife President.

Here are descriptions of various charitable gift planning vehicles.

Retirement Assets

Welcome News for Donors Age 70½

The IRA Charitable Rollover legislation has been renewed through December 2009. If you are 70½ or older, you may make outright gifts using IRA funds and incur no tax. When you transfer funds up to $100,000 directly from your IRA to GROW Wildlife or other charities of your choice, you will not pay income tax on the amount of the withdrawal. For those who qualify, this is an ideal way to handle year-end giving. Contact your IRA custodian to transfer your desired gift amount to GROW Wildlife.

Bequests

Ensure the future of GROW Wildlife without affecting your cash flow during your lifetime. A bequest is one of the most frequently utilized planned gifts for nonprofit organizations. The GROW Wildlife Board of Directors recommends that for estate planning purposes, members and friends consider the following language for use in their wills:“I give to GROW Wildlife, Inc., a Georgia non-profit corporation, whose present office address is __________________, the sum of $_____, to be used as a permanently restricted endowment. Distributions from this endowment will follow GROW Wildlife policy and can be used as approved by the GROW Wildlife Board of Directors. Distributions may be used to benefit GROW Wildlife both on-site and off-site locations as approved by the Executive Director and ratified by the GROW Board of Directors.”

Life Insurance

Multiply the effect of your giving without reducing your capital assets.

By naming GROW Wildlife as owner and beneficiary of your life insurance policy and making annual fully tax-deductible contributions to GROW Wildlife to cover the premiums, you create a major impact on the financial strength of GROW Wildlife while preserving your capital assets.

Real Estate

Reduce your taxable estate and take a tax deduction.

By transferring ownership of highly appreciated property to GROW Wildlife you can avoid capital gains taxes, deduct the fair market value, and remove the asset from your taxable estate.

Charitable Trusts

Protect your heirs and provide professional veterinary care at GROW Wildlife for generations to come. Charitable Lead Trusts, Remainder Trusts, Unitrusts, retained life estates are sophisticated estate vehicles that can reduce taxes, preserve assets for your heirs and provide income. When considering a trust to benefit GROW Wildlife, please consult with a tax professional or financial planner.

For further information on how you can become a GROW Wildlife Legacy member, please contact Brenda Hudlow at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or at 770-442-1400.