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By: AARP

How You Can Help

Direct Gifts

Direct gifts are those transferred immediately from you to the AARP Foundation. In addition to cash and credit card donations, the following types of donations qualify as direct gifts and can be put to work right away:

• Stocks (publicly traded or closely held)
• Life Insurance
• Real Estate
• Personal Property
• Retirement assets

You may contact the AARP Foundation directly at 1-800-775-6776 or email plannedgiving@aarp.org to learn more about the options listed above.

Major Gifts

Major gifts are donations of direct gifts from individuals, corporations and foundations of $1,000 or more. Contact the AARP Foundation at 1-800-775-6776 to speak to a Major Gifts Officer.

Planned Gifts

Planned giving is a feasible option for donors of all income levels. Through a planned gift, you may be able to support the charity of your choice with a larger gift than you otherwise considered based on your current assets.

With planned giving, you have several giving options. Depending on your giving needs and selection, you may be able to receive income for life, earn higher investment yield or reduce you capital gains or estate taxes. Here is a list of the options available to you as you consider making a planned gift to the charity or charities of your choice:

• Charitable Gift Annuities
  
  A charitable gift annuity provides you with lifetime income. To establish a gift annuity, you contribute funds or assets to the charity of your choice, and that charity in turn makes fixed annuity payments to you from its general assets for the rest of your life. You receive an immediate income tax deduction for a portion of the gift, and a portion of each annuity payment is treated as a tax-free return of the investment.
  
  The AARP Foundation has the capacity to offer charitable gift annuities to donors; please contact Planned Giving Officer, Monica Estabrooke at 1-800-775-6776 or email plannedgiving@aarp.org today. You may also visit www.aarpgift.org to learn more about the Charitable Gift Annuities.
  
  
• Charitable Remainder Trusts
  
  A charitable remainder trust allows you and/or other designated beneficiaries to receive income from a trust for your lifetime(s), or for a period of years not to exceed 20. At the end of that time, the balance of the trust is transferred to the AARP Foundation or charity or charities of your choice. You can take a charitable deduction for a portion of the gift you make to the trust in the year the trust is formed.
  
  
• Charitable Lead Trusts
  
  A charitable lead trust allows you to designate a charity to receive a regular, fixed amount from a trust for a specified time period or the lifetime of a designated person. At the end of that time period, the remainder of the trust passes to your designated heirs or other non-charitable beneficiaries. Consult a professional advisor for details.
  
  
• Charitable Bequest
  
  The term charitable bequest is used to describe anything you give or leave to charity from your estate through a will or a revocable trust. An estate is any property, money, or personal belongings that you may have at the time of your death. Most people leave an estate when they die, even though they may not have a great deal of wealth. Even an individual with a small estate can arrange to leave a charitable bequest.
  
  You can arrange to bequeath a gift from your estate in several different ways. You can set aside a specific dollar amount, leave a percentage of your estate, or leave any assets left over after your family has been provided for. Some people use a bequest to give a charity something they own, such as a car, home, art, or jewelry. Others leave a paid life insurance policy or other financial investments, such as stocks, bonds, or certificates of deposit (CDs). These gifts may provide tax savings.
  
  
• Beneficiary Designation
  
  By designating a charity as the beneficiary of your life insurance or retirement assets, you can enjoy some flexibility in your charitable giving as well as certain tax advantages. The designated charity will receive the specified assets upon your death, and you have the option of changing the eventual recipient throughout your life.
  
  As you consider which planned giving option will best satisfy your particular giving needs, consult a professional advisor for details or contact the AARP Foundation directly to speak with a planned giving professional today: 1-800-775-6776. You may also email us at plannedgiving@aarp.org.
  
  

Additional information about Planned Gifts can be found at www.aarpgift.org. Also available for download is the AARP Foundation's Planned Giving Toolkit. In it, you'll find a series of brief publications that will provide you with an overview of the array of giving options available with the AARP Foundation.

Downloads

Downloads require free Adobe Reader.

• Expressions of Philanthropy: An Overview of Giving Options (268K)
• A Plan to Leverage Your Charitable Gift (258K)
• A Tax Free Sale: A Story of Objectives Realized (240K)
• Introducing the Charitable Gift Annuity Tangible Evidence That…In Giving You Receive (299K)
• A Plan For Low Yielding Investment That Will Maximize Value & Increase Return (246K)
• Will Your Will Be Known? (568K)
• Protecting Your Dreams: Ideas for Planning for Retirement Fund Distributions (269K)
• The Deferred Gift Annuity: A Plan for the Future with Plenty of Benefits Today (303K)
• Sell the Farm Without Losing the Residence (343K)
• Redefine the Bottom Line (374K)
• "Triple My CD Return" Charitable Gift Annuity (279K)

*Charitable giving is a personal choice. The AARP Foundation provides this information as an educational service. Personal, financial and/or legal advisors should always be consulted in the planning process.

Other Ways to Help

Matching Gifts

Many businesses have programs to match employee gifts of cash either in whole or in part. Please contact your Human Resources Department to learn if your company will match your gift to the AARP Foundation. Matching gifts are a great way to often double, or sometimes triple, your generous gift.

Corporate and Foundation Giving

Contact the AARP Foundation's Office of Institutional Philanthropy at 1-800-775-6776 to learn more about Corporate and Foundation giving opportunities. Our corporate and foundation partners include:

Volunteer Time

In addition to giving dollars to the AARP Foundation, you can help your community by donating your time and talents.

AARP and the AARP Foundation are in great need of capable and committed volunteers to provide critically needed services to the growing number of older adults in local communities. Your volunteer contributions can enhance the financial contributions you make to the AARP Foundation.

The AARP Foundation meets the Standards for Charitable Accountability of the BBB Wise Giving Alliance.