In 2023, donors who had passed away gave nearly $7 billion more than corporations in the United States alone. It often feels like corporations have all the money, but when it comes to reshaping the world to be a more just and equitable place it is individuals who are doing the most. It really matters how we choose to allocate our funds when we no longer need them. You can choose to leave a legacy that will change people’s lives for generations to come.
The Green Empowerment The Reuss Legacy Circle offers you the chance to create lasting change through planned giving. By including Green Empowerment in your long-term estate plan, you help provide funding to build clean water and energy solutions in rural and Indigenous communities beyond your lifespan, in ways that will improve lives for generations to come.
Let us know! Fill out this simple one-page form to let us know you are in the Legacy Circle and if we can celebrate you on our public roster.
“For Green Empowerment to have worked its way into our hearts… we know that the work that the organization does can truly last a lifetime and really make a difference with the communities. We want to see this continue for as long as possible, even after we are gone.”
David Siegel & Lainie Smith, Board Member & long time supporters
To include Green Empowerment in your estate planning:
– Talk to your legal and financial advisors and involve your family and/or heirs in designing a vision for your legacy gifts.
– Ask your attorney to include simple bequest language in your Will or Trust, such as: I hereby give, devise, and bequeath $____ OR ____% of my total estate to Green Empowerment, a nonprofit organization located at 140 SW Yamhill Street, Portland, OR 97204, Federal Tax ID# 93-1230409, for Green Empowerment’s general use and purpose.
– Complete beneficiary forms for gifts involving retirement plans or insurance products, including annuities:
This could be especially important if your estate will be subject to estate taxes at your death. Dollars inherited from wills and trusts are not taxable income to the heirs. Dollars inherited from retirement plans and annuities are subject to income taxes by the heirs/beneficiaries, AND are includable in the estate when calculating whether estate taxes are due. If a loved one is in the 15% federal and 10% state income-tax bracket, a $1000 inheritance from a retirement plan account will net only about $750 after-tax. If a charitable organization such as Green Empowerment receives funds from a beneficiary designation, that organization will receive 100% of the gifts because of their tax-exempt status. Thus, it can be very tax-efficient to allocate charitable estate gifts from retirement plan accounts and annuities.
CAUTION – This is not intended as tax or legal advice. Please consult with your tax advisor to determine to what extent these ideas might apply to you.
“We have included Green Empowerment in my estate plan. It’s consistent with my values: I support causes that go to improving people’s lives, not just in this country. We’re part of a global community and whatever works in the jungle of Peru, the mountains of Bolivia, or the rivers of Malaysia also improves the lives of everybody throughout the world. The Green Empowerment model is unique, very effective, and deserves everyone’s participation. Providing assistance through estate planning can be a relatively [simple] way for people to donate.”
Robert Haley, Board Member and supporter since 1997
https://givingusa.org/giving-usa-u-s-charitable-giving-totaled-557-16-billion-in-2023/