Making a gift through your will or trust

Gifting through your will or trust allows you the flexibility of specifying a dollar amount or a particular asset, such as real estate or stock. It also allows you to donate either a percentage or remainder of your estate. 

You can put your gift to work immediately or, if you prefer, designate it to our endowment fund. And if at some future date your circumstances should change to where your gift to us may no longer be possible, you can change your mind at any time.

There are several ways you can make a gift through your will or trust to suit your goals, including a specific gift and a contingent gift.

Specific gift 

You describe exactly what kind of gift you want to leave to a specific individual or organization and the designated source. If you want to leave a specific dollar amount from a specific source or a particular item, this is the type of bequest you would use. 

Here’s an example: Jean states in her will: “I leave my stamp collection to my grandson, Greg. I leave my beach house to my daughter, Maria. I leave my securities to Best Friends Animal Society.” 

Contingent gift 

This type of bequest is fulfilled if certain conditions are met. For instance, if your primary beneficiary does not survive you, you can indicate your next choice through a contingent bequest. Here’s an example: 

Robert states in his will: “I give all the rest, residue, and remainder of my real and personal estate to my wife, Susan, if she survives me; if not, then I give 50% in equal shares to my children who survive me and 50% to Best Friends Animal Society.”