Planned Giving

Planned giving supports animals in need today and Animal Welfare Society’s mission and programs in the future.

Providing for animals through a planned gift is an incredible way to make a real difference. Thoughtfully planning your giving allows you to consider your heirs, tax implications and your charitable impact into the future, while giving you the comfort of knowing that you and your estate can provide for both the people and the causes that you care for most deeply.

Individuals making plans to support AWS beyond their lifetime become treasured members of our Legacy Society. Legacy Society members know they are sustaining and preserving our collective work toward the long-term commitment of protecting and caring for pets and the people who love them.

Letting AWS know you’ve selected us for legacy giving is entirely your choice, and your plans are always kept with the utmost confidentiality. Should you like to share your plan with us, please do so here. We’ll look forward to welcoming you warmly into our Legacy Society.

Legacy Giving through Bequests & Wills

Leaving a charitable bequest is one of the most common ways to support your favorite non-profits in your estate plans. Listing Animal Welfare Society as a direct beneficiary of a set amount of money, a specific asset, or a percentage of your estate – no matter how big or how small – will make a tremendous impact.

To help you get started, you can use FreeWill, an online tool that guides you through the process of creating a legally valid will or trust. It’s easy to use, accessible online and can be completed in 20 minutes. You can use this resource on its own, or use it to document your wishes before finalizing your plans with an attorney. This resource is offered free-of-charge, thanks to AWS’ partnership with FreeWill.

If you already have a will and would like to add charitable bequest for AWS, your attorney can assist in updating, revising or adding a codicil to your will. Our suggested language for a general bequest:

“I give and bequeath to Animal Welfare Society, a not-for-profit corporation, with its principal offices presently located at Holland Road, Kennebunk, Maine, [the sum of $______________; _____________% of my estate/home/art/vehicle/etc.] to be used for the accomplishment of its mission.”

Legacy Giving through Retirement or Insurance Beneficiary Designations

Do you have an IRA, 401(k), life-insurance policy, or any other assets not included in your will? If so, these are called non-probate assets and you must plan your beneficiaries for them separately. Naming AWS as a beneficiary of one of these assets is another common option for individuals looking to support their preferred charities beyond their lifetimes. Use this online tool to make your plans and designate AWS as a beneficiary of one or more of these assets.

Alternately, you can contact the carrier of your insurance plan, or reach out to your human resources office to ask to update your beneficiary to AWS. Be sure to indicate our EIN of 23-7018176 to avoid any confusion with any other animal welfare organizations.

Appreciated Stocks and Securities

We gladly accept most stock and security transfers. Depending on your wishes and/or our current needs and the market, we add the transfer to our current portfolio or sell and use the proceeds. Please contact our development department to begin the initiation of the transfer.

Qualified Retirement Plan Distribution

A qualified retirement plan distribution, also known as a charitable IRA rollover, makes it very easy to make a gift directly from an individual retirement account (IRA). The amount of your gift is not included in your gross income for tax purposes. Thus, gifts transferred directly to a charity, such as AWS, from traditional IRA accounts are not taxed. Donors aged 70 ½ years or older can take advantage of this provision, with your gift counting towards the annual required minimum distribution. For more information, please contact your financial advisor. If we should be expecting a Charitable IRA Rollover gift, please contact our development office.

Trusts & Annuities

Investment vehicles such as charitable lead trusts and charitable gift annuities, among others, offer individuals the opportunity to provide a charity with income either now or in the future, depending on the type of trust. Contact your financial advisor to learn more about including AWS in your trust or annuity.

To discuss any of these options further, or to learn more about the role of planned gifts in meeting our mission, please contact us at (207) 985-3244 ext. 200.

AWS EIN: 23-7018176