Since AFS was founded, dedicated and committed individuals like you have helped the organization fulfill its mission through gifts of annual support—and by making charitable gifts through long-range estate planning.
A planned gift can be a wise tax choice and can have significant tax benefits—securing not only your financial future but also the future of intercultural living and learning for generations to come. All donations are part of AFS-USA’s endowment, and planned gift income is used principally to provide leadership scholarships and meaningful program enrichment.
There are many means through which you can include AFS-USA in your financial planning:
Bequests: are one of the simplest and most effective ways to provide for the future of AFS-USA. They are easy to arrange, can be any size, will not affect your assets or income during your lifetime, and are revocable.
Your attorney can include AFS-USA when writing your will or when your revise it, or can add a simple codicil at any time. Please note our legal name (AFS-USA, Inc.) and address (One Whitehall Street 2nd Floor, New York, New York 10004), and the state of incorporation (Illinois).
Bequests can be made in several ways. Consult your attorney to help determine the best strategy for your personal situation.
• Specific or Outright Bequest indicates the actual dollar amount, asset or tangible property you wish to leave to AFS-USA. Or it can indicate a specific percentage of the total worth of your estate.
• Residuary Bequest leaves the remaining portion of your estate (or a percentage of the total) after other bequests have been satisfied.
• Contingency Bequest takes into account the possibility of changing circumstances and depends on certain events taking place. For example, you might leave AFS a bequest if another beneficiary predeceases you.
IRAs, Keoghs or other Retirement Plans: Naming AFS-USA as the beneficiary of your current retirement plan enables you to avoid substantial taxes that would have been due if a retirement plan were left to a non-spousal heir. When left to AFS-USA, the assets will avoid taxation and pass directly to the organization. Simply complete a beneficiary designation form obtained from your plan administrator and name AFS-USA as a full or partial beneficiary.
Gifts of Insurance: A donor can use an existing life insurance policy that is no longer needed to make a gift to AFS-USA by giving a paid up policy. Or, a donor may create a new policy for the benefit of AFS-USA. All such gifts must be in compliance with New York State and Federal laws and regulations.
Gifts of Real Estate will be accepted within certain guidelines and following a review by legal counsel.
Savings Accounts. Designating AFS-USA as a beneficiary of a savings account is simple and allows you the full use of the savings as a gift during your lifetime.
Charitable Remainder Trusts: These trusts are irrevocable gifts that enable you to contribute to AFS-USA while providing you with an on-going income, a tax benefit at the time the Trust is established. Upon your death or a pre-determined number of years, the principal of the Trust (the remainder) will come to AFS-USA. There are several types of Charitable Remainder Trusts and they usually are funded with $100,000 or more. Consult your attorney or financial adviser to help determine the best strategy for your personal situation.
Donors of bequests and other planned gifts are invited to join the Stephen Galatti Heritage Society, named for the founder of AFS Intercultural Programs. Make a gift of a lifetime, and you will help ensure the future of our quest to create a more just and peaceful world.
