Leaving a Legacy

How do you want to be remembered? For over 100 years, the Potawatomi Zoo has made an impact on animals and people. Together, we can ensure the Zoo remains at the forefront of animal care, wildlife conservation, and education. When you give a gift to the Zoo through your legacy plans, you will make an impact on generations and secure our conservation efforts. We can work with you and your advisor to help determine the most appropriate way for you to give while achieving your goals.

There are simple ways for you to create your legacy with us, in a way that benefits you, your loved ones, and the Zoo. There are ways for you to create your legacy that will not affect your current lifestyle or family’s security. How can you get started? The links below will help you discover options and benefits.

Make a gift through your will or trust

Need to preserve your assets during your lifetime? you can plan a gift to the Potawatomi Zoo that will only take effect after your other obligations are taken care of. You may make this gift without affecting your cash flow during your lifetime.

A gift through your will or trust is for you if:

  • You want to create a legacy to support the Zoo, and long-term planning is more of a priority than an immediate income-tax deduction.
  • You want the flexibility of a gift commitment that doesn’t affect your current cash flow.
  • You want to reduce the amount of estate taxes your heirs will have to pay.

How it works:

  • Include a bequest to the Potawatomi Zoo in your will or trust.
  • Your bequest can be made unrestricted or to a specific purpose.
  • You may indicate either a specific dollar amount or percentage of the remainder of your estate.

Financial and Tax Benefits:

  • Your assets remain in your control during your lifetime.
  • You may modify your bequest if circumstances change.
  • You will receive a charitable estate tax deduction for the amount of your gift, and capital gains taxes are avoided on the amount of your gift to the Zoo.

Disclaimer: Please review your will by a professional who is familiar with estate laws in Indiana. The Zoo is not a legal or tax advisory service.

Make a gift from a retirement plan

A gift from your retirement account is for you if:

  • You hold a 401(k), IRA, or other retirement plan.
  • You prefer to make a gift to the Zoo through your estate plan.
  • You want to ensure the most efficient distribution of the assets in your estate.

How it works:

  • You name the Potawatomi Zoo as the beneficiary within your IRA, 401(k) or other qualified plan. Beneficiaries may be listed as partial or full.
  • Contact your IRA or retirement plan administrator and request a Change of Beneficiary Form, naming the Potawatomi Zoo as the beneficiary of your retirement plan, and submit it.

Benefits:

  • You will avoid the double taxation your retirement savings would face if you designated your heirs as beneficiaries.
  • You can continue to take regular lifetime withdrawals.
  • You can change beneficiaries and percentages if your family’s needs change.

Make a gift of appreciated stocks or securities

The IRS allows its most significant tax breaks for gifts of appreciated securities. Giving appreciated stocks could be more beneficial than giving cash.

A gift of appreciated securities is for you if:

  • You’re holding stocks, bonds, or mutual funds that have increased in value.
  • You want to make a gift that doesn’t affect your liquidity or cash flow.
  • You want to make an outright fits or fund a gift that will first return lifetime payments to you and another beneficiary.
  • You want to diversify your assets to increase your income without having to pay the capital gains taxes that result from a sale.

How it works:

  • Instruct your broker to transfer a specific gift amount to the Potawatomi Zoo.
  • Instruct your broker to contact the Zoo’s Development team, so we may properly acknowledge your generosity.

Benefits:

  • You receive an immediate income-tax deduction for the fair market value of the securities on the date of transfer, no matter what you originally paid for them.
  • You pay no capital gains tax on the transfer.
  • Gifts of stock are deductible.

Make a gift of life insurance

You can provide for a future gift to the Potawatomi Zoo by naming the Zoo as owners and beneficiaries of a new or existing life insurance policy, while you deduct the cost of premium payments from your income taxes. If you are still carrying life insurance policies your family no longer needs, you may also give surplus policies to the Potawatomi Zoo while taking a tax deduction.

A gift of a life insurance policy is for you if:

  • You are a younger donor who wants to make a significant gift.
  • Your estate probably won’t have substantial assets to distribute to non-family members.
  • You can make a commitment to provide yearly gifts to the Zoo that will offset premium payments on the policy.
  • You are maintaining insurance coverage your family no longer needs.
  • You hold a few appreciated securities that you wish to donate.

How it works:

  • Make the gift by taking out a new policy on your life, naming the Potawatomi Zoo the irrevocable owner as well as beneficiary, or request a Change of Beneficiary Form for an existing life policy.
  • The Zoo will receive the premium notices, and you will make yearly donations to the Zoo to offset the payment of the premiums. These gifts will be tax-deductible.
  • When the policy matures, the proceeds are paid to the Zoo, and we apply them to the purpose you have designated them for.

Benefits:

  • You can make a significant gift from income instead of capital.
  • You have the satisfaction of making a substantial gift to the Zoo using a paid life policy that you and your family no longer need.

Join the Wildlife Legacy Society

Please let us know when you decide to leave a legacy gift to the Potawatomi Zoo. With your permission, we would like to recognize your gift in our Wildlife Legacy Society, a distinguished group of Zoo supporters.

When naming Potawatomi Zoological Society, Inc. in an estate plan, please use our legally incorporated name: The Potawatomi Zoological Society, Inc.

Our Federal Tax ID# is 35-1183974.

Our legal address is 500 South Greenlawn Ave, South Bend, IN 46615.

Our contact address is PO Box 1764, South Bend, IN 46634.

Questions? Contact us privately to here learn more. We’re happy to answer any questions you may have.

Please recognize that the Potawatomi Zoo is not a tax professional. Consult your legal counsel when considering these types of gifts.

Leaving a Legacy

How do you want to be remembered? For over 100 years, the Potawatomi Zoo has made an impact on animals and people. Together, we can ensure the Zoo remains at the forefront of animal care, wildlife conservation, and education. When you give a gift to the Zoo through your legacy plans, you will make an impact on generations and secure our conservation efforts. We can work with you and your advisor to help determine the most appropriate way for you to give while achieving your goals.

There are simple ways for you to create your legacy with us, in a way that benefits you, your loved ones, and the Zoo. There are ways for you to create your legacy that will not affect your current lifestyle or family’s security. How can you get started? The links below will help you discover options and benefits.

Join the Wildlife Legacy Society

Please let us know when you decide to leave a legacy gift to the Potawatomi Zoo. With your permission, we would like to recognize your gift in our Wildlife Legacy Society, a distinguished group of Zoo supporters.

When naming Potawatomi Zoological Society, Inc. in an estate plan, please use our legally incorporated name: The Potawatomi Zoological Society, Inc.

Our Federal Tax ID# is 35-1183974.

Our legal address is 500 South Greenlawn Ave, South Bend, IN 46615.

Our contact address is PO Box 1764, South Bend, IN 46634.

Questions? Contact us privately to here learn more. We’re happy to answer any questions you may have.

Please recognize that the Potawatomi Zoo is not a tax professional. Consult your legal counsel when considering these types of gifts.