The Long Trail Legacy Society consists of individuals who took the extraordinary step of making a planned gift to the Green Mountain Club, ensuring the long-term financial strength of the Green Mountain Club and the Long Trail.
Planned gifts enable donors to make contributions in ways that complement their financial goals, while leaving their legacy to the trail. Since 2008, GMC has received 34 gifts for a total of $1.2 million. Gifts varied in size from $5 to $440,000 and are all used with the future of the Club in mind.
Long Trail Legacy Society members generate much needed funding for the Long Trail by including the Green Mountain Club in their will, as a beneficiary to their life insurance, or through a Charitable Gift Annuity or Charitable Remainder Trust.
For any questions regarding planned giving, please contact Alicia DiCocco.
Charitable Bequests:
A bequest is the most common planned gift and simply requires listing the Green Mountain Club as a beneficiary in your will. A donor may bequeath either a dollar amount or a percentage of one’s estate to the club in a Charitable Bequest. (You might need the Green Mountain Club’s tax identification number, which is 03-0162865.)
Sample Bequest Language: “I bequest [describe dollar amount, property to be given, percentage, or proportion of your residuary estate] to the Green Mountain Club, a non-profit organization located at 4711 Waterbury-Stowe Rd, Waterbury Center, VT 05677.”
Gifts of Life Insurance:
When you give a life insurance policy to the Green Mountain Club, the cash surrender value of the policy or the cost of the replacement policy is deductible as a charitable contribution. If you continue to pay premiums after your gift, these premiums are also deductible. (You might need the Green Mountain Club’s tax identification number, which is 03-0162865.)
Retirement Plan:
Naming the Green Mountain Club as a beneficiary in your retirement plan is similar to a bequest. (You might need the Green Mountain Club’s tax identification number, which is 03-0162865.)
Charitable Remainder Trusts:
A Charitable Remainder Trust is created to generate a life income for you or a loved one and can be either fixed or change with the value of the trust. At the death of the last income beneficiary, the assets of the trust are distributed by the Green Mountain Club.
Charitable Gift Annuity:
A Charitable Gift Annuity is a life income gift. When you establish one, you support the Green Mountain Club with a cash or property gift, and in return, you receive a fixed income for life and an immediate income tax deduction.
How does it Work?
GMC partners with the Vermont Community Foundation to issue Charitable Gift Annuities. In exchange for your gift, the Vermont Community Foundation guarantees you and/or your beneficiaries annual or quarterly payments that are determined by using the American Council on Gift Annuities’ rate table (see table below). Notably, the payment amount will not change regardless of what happens in the stock market. Upon the death of the last surviving beneficiary, all remaining annuity assets will be set aside in a special fund to support the Green Mountain Club. (Please contact Martha Trombley Oakes at Vermont Community Foundation for more information.)
Is a Charitable Gift Annuity right for me?
They are ideal for individuals who:
– Want a guaranteed annual income they can count on regardless of what happens in the stock market.
– Want an uncomplicated arrangement that is simple and inexpensive.
– Want to support GMC’s work to maintain and protect the Long Trail after they pass away.
The Flexible Charitable Gift Annuity
These are specially designed for individuals who want their annuity payments to start at a future date. The longer an annuitant defers payment, the greater the payment will be.
SAMPLE ANNUITY
PAYMENTS FOR A $15,000 GIFT
Age Rate Annuity Tax Deduction
60 4.4% $660 $3,691
70 5.1% $765 $5,759
80 6.8% $1,020 $7,327
These figures are for illustration purposes only.
Minimum age is 60, and minimum gift is $15,000.
The deduction is estimated and based on the monthly IRS discount rate.
