LEAVE A LEGACY

A bequest in your will is one of the easiest gifts to make.  By naming CVI as a beneficiary of your estate, you are investing in CVI’s mission to empower people impacted by vision loss to live with independence and dignity. When you make a bequest to CVI, you continue to control your assets during your lifetime so you can be sure your current needs are met.

With the help of an attorney, you can include language in your will or trust specifying a gift to be made to family, friends and/or the Center for the Visually Impaired as part of your estate plan, or you can make a bequest using a beneficiary designation form. You can modify your bequest if your circumstances change. {Sample bequest language is provided below.}

Benefits of a bequest:

• Receive an estate tax charitable deduction
• Reduce the burden of taxes on your family
• Leave a lasting legacy to CVI

Here are some ways to leave a bequest to CVI:

• Include a bequest to CVI in your will or revocable trust
• Designate CVI as a full, partial or contingent beneficiary of your retirement account (IRA, 401(k), 403(b) or pension)
• Name CVI as a beneficiary of your life insurance policy

You may choose to make a bequest gift of a percentage of your estate; as a specific dollar amount or a specific asset; or make a gift from the balance or residue of your estate.

Sample bequest language:

Thank you for considering a bequest to CVI. Please share the following suggested language with your attorney or financial advisor as you prepare or revise your will.

Unrestricted Bequest
"I give and bequeath a percentage of my estate, or a dollar amount to the Center for the Visually Impaired Foundation, a non-profit organization in Atlanta, Georgia, for its general purposes."

Codicil to Last Will and Testament

If your estate plans are up to date, you can simply draft a short codicil, or amendment, to the existing document, using this or similar language:

"I hereby amend my Last Will and Testament, executed on the xx day of month in the year xxxx. I direct that all provisions of that Last Will and Testament remain in effect but in addition, I direct that the Center for the Visually Impaired Foundation, a non-profit organization in Atlanta, Georgia, shall receive the sum of xxx dollars or a percentage of my estate to be used to further the services of the Center.

Bequest for an Endowment
"I give and bequeath the rest, residue, and remainder of my estate (or a percentage of my estate, or a dollar amount) to Center for the Visually Impaired Foundation Inc. (the “CVI Foundation”) to be held in the CVI Foundation’s unrestricted permanent endowment, which shall be used for such purposes as the CVI Foundation may designate for the use and benefit of the Center for the Visually Impaired in Atlanta, Georgia.  Such fund shall be held, invested, and applied in accordance with the endowment policies of the CVI Foundation, as amended from time to time.”

If you are considering designating your bequest for a specific purpose, please contact CVI.

Center for the Visually Impaired Foundation Fed Tax ID # 58-1844142

CVI Fed Tax ID # 58-1168874

Please contact the development office for more information: Shannon Clark at sclark@cviga.org or call 404-602-4276.

This information is not intended as legal or tax advice. Please discuss planned gift options with your financial or tax advisor.

Naming CVI as a beneficiary of your IRA or other qualified retirement plan is a tax-effective way to support CVI services with a future gift. At your death the assets held in your retirement plan may be subject to both estate and income taxes, reducing the value received by your heirs. Because of CVI’s tax-exempt status, these gifts avoid both potential taxes.

The process of naming CVI a beneficiary of your retirement plan is simple. Contact your plan administrator and complete a beneficiary designation form, including a spousal waiver if needed. In some cases, you may be able to complete the form online. This quick change is an easy way for you to make a meaningful impact.

IRA Charitable Rollover. The IRA charitable rollover is a simple, tax-effective way to support CVI. If you are 70½ or older, you can give up to $100,000 each year directly from your IRA to charities such as CVI. The transfer generates neither taxable income nor a tax deduction, so you still benefit even if you do not itemize your tax deductions. Your IRA charitable rollover gift can satisfy all or part of your required minimum distribution for the year.  The transfer may be made in addition to any other charitable giving you have planned. To initiate a gift, instruct your IRA administrator to transfer funds directly to CVI.

Benefits of Giving Through Your IRA:

• Your gift will be put to use today, allowing you to see the difference your donation is making.
• Beginning in the year you turn 73, you can use your gift to satisfy all or part of your required minimum distribution (RMD).
• You pay no income taxes on the gift. The transfer generates neither taxable income nor a tax deduction, so you benefit even if you do not itemize your deductions.
• Since the gift doesn’t count as income, it can reduce your annual income level. This may help lower your Medicare premiums and decrease the amount of Social Security that is subject to tax.

To include Center for the Visually Impaired in your plans, please use the following:

Legal name: Center for the Visually Impaired Foundation

Fed Tax ID: 58-1844142

Please let us know of your gift (many retirement providers assume no responsibility for letting nonprofits know of your intentions).

Please contact the development office for more information: Shannon Clark at sclark@cviga.org or call 404-602-4276.

This information is not intended as legal or tax advice. Please discuss planned gift options with your financial or tax advisor.

Name CVI a beneficiary of a life insurance policy you no longer need by simply updating the designation form with your policy holder. You can designate CVI as primary beneficiary to receive a percentage or fixed amount of the policy’s death benefit proceeds or make CVI a contingent beneficiary so that we will receive the balance of your policy proceeds if your primary beneficiary doesn’t survive you.

You may also choose to name CVI as the owner and beneficiary of an existing policy. As you continue to pay the premiums, each payment is tax deductible as a charitable gift when you itemize. Another option is to make an outright gift with a new policy naming CVI as owner and beneficiary. This may be attractive if you are younger as the premiums can be lower. Your premium payments will qualify as charitable gifts when you itemize.

Please contact the development office for more information: Shannon Clark at sclark@cviga.org or call 404-602-4276.

This information is not intended as legal or tax advice. Please discuss planned gift options with your financial or tax advisor.

Charitable remainder trusts (CRT) are flexible, tax-wise vehicles that can provide you or other beneficiaries with income and create a generous remainder gift to fund programs and services at CVI that are important to you.

A CRT may be established during your lifetime or at your death. These trusts offer a great deal of flexibility. You may choose the payout rate (typically between 5 and 7 percent), income may be fixed or variable, a variety of asset types can be used for funding the trust, and there is no limit to the number of income beneficiaries you can name. You also receive a charitable tax deduction in the year the trust is established and capital gains tax on the contributed asset is deferred. At the end of the trust’s term, remaining funds will support your CVI legacy.

Please contact the development office for more information: Shannon Clark at sclark@cviga.org or call 404-602-4276.

This information is not intended as legal or tax advice. Please discuss planned gift options with your financial or tax advisor.

Protect your investment gains with a gift of long-term appreciated securities, and you will generate a triple tax benefit.

• You receive a charitable income tax deduction for the full fair market value of the securities up to 30% of your adjusted gross income,
• You avoid paying capital gains tax on the appreciation, and
• The asset is from your estate for estate tax purposes.

You can transfer your charitable gift of stock directly to CVI's Schwab account. When received, CVI immediately sells contributed securities and the resulting funds are directed to support CVI programs as you intend.

Here is all the information you need to make a gift of stock:

Schwab account holders please use this form:

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD FORM

If you have an account with another broker or firm, please ask for a charitable transfer form to be submitted to CVI's Schwab account.

Official Account Name: Center for the Visually Impaired Foundation

Tax ID:                                              58-1844142

Receiving Brokerage Firm:           Charles Schwab & Co.

CVIF Account Number:                 2609-0036

Direct Transfer Code (DTC):         0164

Please contact the development office for more information: Shannon Clark at sclark@cviga.org or call 404-602-4276.

This information is not intended as legal or tax advice. Please discuss planned gift options with your financial or tax advisor.