Leaving a bequest to HMRI in your Will or Trust is the most common type of legacy gift. A bequest is a transfer of personal property as directed by specific provisions of a person's Will or Trust after one's lifetime. A charitable bequest is when an individual designates a charitable organization as the recipient. By including a bequest to HMRI in your Will, you are directly contributing to the lasting impact of the work we do for generations to come.

Beneficiary Designations

Some people prefer the increased flexibility that a beneficiary designation provides by using:

• IRAs, 401(k), 403(b) or other qualifying retirement plans
• Life insurance policies

It only takes three simple steps to make this type of gift. Here's how to name HMRI as a beneficiary:

1. Contact your retirement plan administrator, insurance company, bank, or financial institution for a change-of-beneficiary form.
2. Decide what percentage (1 to 100) you would like us to receive and name us, along with the percentage you chose, on the beneficiary form.
3. Return the completed form to your plan administrator, insurance company, bank, or financial institution.

A charitable contribution of appreciated securities—such as stocks, bonds, and/or mutual funds that have realized significant appreciation over time—is one of the most tax-efficient ways to give.

This method of giving has become increasingly popular in recent years because of two key advantages:

1. Any appreciated securities with unrealized gains (meaning they have a current value greater than their original cost) may be donated to a public charity and a tax deduction may be taken for the full fair market value of the securities—up to 30% of the donor's adjusted gross income.
2. Since the securities are donated rather than sold, capital gains taxes from selling the securities no longer apply. The more appreciation the securities have, the greater the tax savings will be.