beneficiary designations

You may include Americans for the Arts as a beneficiary of your retirement, insurance, or fiduciary account. It is a simple, quick, and no-cost way to include one or more charity in your estate plans, and may have many very attractive tax advantages for your family or heirs.

Such gifts also have the advantage that they bypass probate, the sometimes cumbersome, lengthy, and expensive legal process of settling the estate of a deceased person.

When planning your estate, you may want to consider that—from a tax standpoint—a qualified retirement plan is among the most expensive assets for your heirs to inherit. Public charities such as Americans for the Arts pay no estate, capital gains, or income taxes on these gifts, and may an excellent option for you to consider for a charitable donation upon your death.

You may designate Americans for the Arts as a percentage beneficiary (even a small percentage), or a secondary or tertiary beneficiary of your retirement plan. To do so, simply obtain the beneficiary forms from the plan administrator or financial institution, complete the desired information, and return them to the institution.

If you would like to notify Americans for the Arts of your bequest intentions through a beneficiary designation, please fill out our Bequest Notification Form [PDF].

For information about joining our Americans for the Arts Legacy Society for donors, visit our Legacy Society page.

The information provided by Americans for the Arts is not financial, tax, or legal advice. You should consult your advisors before making charitable gift decisions.