There are many ways in which you can help ECHO, such as an outright cash donation or a carefully planned deferred gift in which both you and ECHO benefit. Planned giving allows you to make arrangements for all or part of your assets to be donated to ECHO, at the end of your life. This page will discuss the various options available to accomplish this.

A common misconception is that you need to possess a large estate, in order to utilize planned giving strategies, or that you will deprive family members or other charities in order to do so. This is not the case. You can choose a gift in proportion to your means and priorities, just as you may already do when you make an annual gift to ECHO. It is likely that they are not the only agency you support, and each gift is planned according to your family needs and income. A bequest can be planned in the same manner, and you can, essentially, endow your annual gift forever.

 

Bequests may be made in a number of ways; a percentage of the total estate, a fixed amount, specific property, or a residual estate; i.e. “all the rest and residue of my estate to ECHO of Tallahassee, Florida.”

CHARITABLE GIFT ANNUITIES

Annuities are gifts of cash or transferable securities, which guarantee the donor a life income based on his/her age, and the amount of the gift. The recipient of the gift assumes control of the funds and/or securities, and becomes responsible for the payment of the life income. This is a popular choice with donors because of the security of the guaranteed income, but there are other benefits as well.

Charitable Gift Annuity interest rates may be higher than what your assets are currently producing.

You gain freedom from responsibility for investing your assets. Once you have made your gift, its automatic. You can choose to receive your check annually, semi-annually, quarterly, or monthly.

You get an immediate tax reduction. Part of your donation is designated by the IRS as a charitable gift, and if you itemize, you receive a tax deduction. If the full amount of the deduction cant be claimed in the year you make your gift, the balance can be carried forward for five years.

Because the IRS considers it a "return of principal," a portion of all your future annuity payments is tax free for the years of your life expectancy.

If you fund your annuity with an appreciated asset, (something that is worth more now than what you paid for it,) you can avoid a large portion of the applicable capital gains tax.

A gift made now will remove assets from your estate, and possibly reduce estate taxes and probate costs.

BENEFICIARY OF INSURANCE OR RETIREMENT ACCOUNT

You can easily arrange, through the beneficiary designation form, for ECHO to be the primary or partial beneficiary of life insurance benefits, retirement accounts, IRA, or TSA funds. If you wish others to share in these plans, you may specify an amount, or percentage, to be paid to ECHO at the time of your passing.

LIFE ESTATE AGREEMENT
A personal home or farm may be given while reserving the right to live in and use the property for a term of years, or for life. You receive an income tax deduction now, and ECHO will receive your gift at the end of your life.

GIFTS OF APPRECIATED PROPERTY
Real estate, securities, stocks and bonds are excellent, tax-wise choices to use as gifts to ECHO.