Planned Giving

Planned giving is a method of supporting non-profits and charities that enables philanthropic individuals or donors to make larger gifts than they could make from their income. While some planned gifts provide a life-long income to the donor, others use estate and tax planning techniques to provide for charity and other heirs in ways that maximize the gift and/or minimize its impact on the donor's estate.

Planned Giving Offers Flexibility

Planned giving gives you the flexibility to determine how you want to support the Carolina Raptor Center’s vibrant future. You can make an unrestricted gift or underwrite one of our existing program areas—avian medicine, STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) education, or raptor food to name a few.

Whether a donor uses cash, appreciated securities/stock, real estate, artwork, partnership interests, personal property, life insurance, a retirement plan, etc., the benefits of funding a planned gift can make this type of charitable giving very attractive to both donor and charity.

How should I give?

Here is an outline of some of the most common types of planned gifts. You should consult a tax/legal professional to determine which vehicle will help meet your individual needs.

Gift Type

Your Goal

Your Benefits

Bequests

Defer a gift until after your lifetime

-Estate tax exemption
-Control of asset for your lifetime

Retirement Assets
IRAs, 401(k)s, Keoghs, 403(b)s

Avoid the twofold taxation on IRAs or other employee benefits

-Removes tax from the most highly taxed asset, leaving more for family
-Avoids income and estate tax

Charitable Remainder Trusts
CRUTs, CRATs

Give low-basis investments, receive a steady income and tax deduction, and avoiding capital gains

-Income for life—fixed or variable based on trust type
-Immediate income tax deduction

Charitable Lead Trusts

Reduce gift and estate taxes on assets you pass to children or grandchildren

-Reduces your taxable estate
-Property remains in family, often with reduced gift taxes

Join the Golden Eagle Society

The Golden Eagle Society is a major donor initiative for friends of the Carolina Rap­tor Center (CRC) that look to leave their legacy by supporting our efforts to conserve raptors through education outreach, research, and rehabilitation. By making a planned gift to the Carolina Raptor Center, you will join the growing flock that is The Golden Eagle Society!

Planned gifts—like bequests and beneficiary designations of retirement assets—are an increasingly important source of support, guaranteeing the Carolina Raptor Center will have robust resources to conserve precious birds of prey into the future. The Golden Eagle Society recognizes those who have included the Carolina Raptor Center in their estate plans. You do not need to be wealthy to make a planned gift—you can gift cash, real property, retirement assets, and insurance policies to CRC.

Planned giving also gives you the flexibility to determine how you want to support CRC’s vibrant future. Please speak with your financial advisor to learn more.

In addition to making an impact long into the future, you will receive the following benefits:

  • Golden Eagle Society lapel pin
  • Special recognition at the Carolina Raptor Center and in all annual reports
  • Invitations to all major donor recognition events

For more information, or to join the Golden Eagle Society today, contact Matt Lake, Director of Special Projects at [email protected] or call (804) 928-4147.