Planned Giving: Leaving Your Legacy

What will your legacy be? How will you be remembered when it comes to action you took to preserve the Earth and secure the well-being of your family? When you make a legacy gift to the Faith Alliance for Climate Solutions (FACS) , you invest in the future of our planet.

Many people of faith are committed to #ClimateAction because of concern for their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Others anchor their commitment in their faith tradition and stewardship of the Earth. Regardless of the source of your commitment, the question is what will you leave behind for the generations that follow?

A legacy gift to FACS is rooted in the hopes and dreams for a healthy, sustainable planet and grounded in the moral and ethical values of many faiths. Your gift to FACS, through your estate or financial plan, will fund our ongoing advocacy of elected officials on behalf of all citizens, from local officeholders to state and national leaders. It will help drive climate equity and environmental justice in the most vulnerable communities. It will recognize the importance of biodiversity.

Benefits for You

Making a legacy gift to FACS not only helps the fight for a planet that is sustainable but it provide benefits to you too:

Easy to execute. None of them require talking to a lawyer, and require a simple change to a beneficiary form or the insertion of language into an existing will.
Flexible and safe. You remain in complete control of your assets during your entire lifetime. And, you can change your beneficiary at any time.
High impact. You don’t have to be “rich” to make a legacy gift. You may be able to make a gift larger than you previously thought possible, and have a more significant impact on the fight to protect Social Security and Medicare in the future.

The information in this document does not constitute legal or financial advice. We encourage you to discuss these options with your own advisors before deciding on the best choice for you.

How to Make a Legacy Gift to FACS

Bequest: The easiest way to leave a Legacy Gift to FACS is with a bequest. This is the most common form of legacy giving, and there are two types:

Fixed Amount Bequest: This is a bequest that directs a fixed dollar amount, or particular assets, such as securities or property. The following is simple language for a fixed amount Legacy Gift: “I bequeath the sum of $____ to The Faith Alliance for Climate Solutions. Tax ID: 81-2816482 located in Reston, VA.”
Residuary Bequest: This form of bequest directs a percentage of the remainder of your estate, after specific gifts to other beneficiaries have been fulfilled. For example, 75% can go to your heirs with the remaining 25% going to FACS. No percentage amount is too small; any amount can have a significant impact on FACS’ advocacy outreach. The language for a percentage-based Legacy Gift is: “I bequeath to The Faith Alliance for Climate Solutions. Tax ID: 812-816-482 located in Reston, VA, an amount equal to percent of the net value of my estate.”

No matter how you specify your bequests, a gift to FACS, in any amount, will help ensure the long-term advocacy for earth care and stewardship of life systems.

Life Insurance: A life insurance policy that has outlived its purpose may make a perfect charitable donation to FACS. It’s easy to update the beneficiary designation at any time by requesting a beneficiary designation form from your financial institution or insurer. This form is generally available on the company’s website. Simply complete the form and mail it back. Like a bequest, you can change your mind at any time. You also have the flexibility to designate a percentage, rather than the whole amount.

IRAs: The assets contained in an IRA pass outside your will. Distribution is governed by the beneficiary designation form you completed. FACS can receive IRA assets tax-free. That means every penny of your hard-earned money will go to ensuring a secure future for your children, grand-children, and great-grandchildren. As with a bequest or life insurance, you can make FACS a partial, full, or contingent beneficiary.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I change my mind once I’ve made a planned gift to FACS?
A: Yes. Your gift plans can be revised at any time. There is no prohibition on making changes to your estate plan should your circumstances.

Q: Do I have to choose a gift amount now?
A: No. A popular choice is stating a gift as a percentage, which will automatically adjust no matter what the future may bring.

Q: I want to make sure my family and grandchildren are taken care of AND give to FACS. How can I do both?
A: Many people put aside a percentage of their estate for their favorite causes, while leaving a large majority of their assets to family and friends. Or you could choose to make a charitable gift of whatever balance remains in a retirement account, which also saves on taxes.

Q: I’ve thought about including FACS in my will but I’m not rich. I’m not sure my small gift will make a difference.
A: Every gift makes a difference! Whatever you can give is greatly appreciated and will make the future brighter for your children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

Q: I want to make a bequest to FACS but my will is already written and I don’t want to go to the expense of having it re-written.
A: A codicil is a document that amends, rather than replaces, a previously executed will. It’s easy to do and costs relatively little.