Gifts Through Your Will

A gift through your will enables you to achieve your financial goals while making a lasting impact.  There are many benefits of making a gift through your will:

• You retain control of your assets during your lifetime.
• Your gift costs you nothing now, and you can change your mind or modify your gift if circumstances change.
• Your gift may provide tax savings or help reduce the tax burden for your heirs.
• You become a member of the Legacy Society – while remaining anonymous if you so choose.

Gifts Without Changing Your Will

If you would like to help support the Red Cross mission without changing your will or parting with any assets now, consider naming the Red Cross as a beneficiary of certain assets or accounts you own. This “beneficiary designation” is one of the simplest ways to make a gift to the Red Cross. It is literally as easy as filling out a form.                

Assets to consider include:

• Retirement assets: These include IRAs and most qualified retirement plans, such as 401(k) and 403(b) plans.
• Life insurance policies: Designate the Red Cross to receive all or a portion of the death benefit associated with your life insurance policy.
• Bank account: Instruct your bank to pay to the Red Cross all or a portion of what remains in your checking or savings account.
• Investment account:  Instruct your investment company to transfer to the Red Cross some or all of the investments held in your account at the time of your passing.