...and For the Birds

That's what you can do by making a planned gift to the Houston Audubon Society. Advantages include:

• Life-time payments at attractive rates
• Significant tax benefits for your charitable contribution

Through your will, you can remember not only people who are dear to you but also organizations you value. As a lover of nature, you should be aware that including Houston Audubon Society in your will can be a wonderful way to help perpetuate the conservation of land and the environmental education of thousands of youth and adults.

If you have a will, you can easily add a codicil (an amendment to your will) providing for a bequest to Houston Audubon Society. If you do not have a will, now is the time to have one prepared.

A bequest to Houston Audubon Society can bring a tax benefit, too. Even though federal estate tax - levied at rates as high as 50% - applies to estates over $1 million beginning in 2002, charitable bequests from such estates are fully deductible. Thus, if you have a taxable estate, a bequest to Houston Audubon Society, can have a net "cost" that is less than the amount of the bequest.

Note: Tax legislation enacted in 2001 calls for numerous changes to be made to the federal estate tax system during the decade to follow. Therefore, be sure to consult your own legal and tax advisors to determine how these changes may affect your situation.

Tailoring your bequest to your needs and wishes

Your bequest may take any of serveral forms.

The following are some examples:

• A general bequest is for a certain dollar amount of property, usually cash: "I give to Houston Audubon Society, the sum of $100,000.00..."
• A specific bequest directs that Houston Audubon Society is to receive a specific piece of property: "
• A residual bequest designates all or a portion of whatever remains after all debts, taxes, expenses and other bequests have been paid: "I give to Houston Audubon Society 50% of the rest, residue and remainder of my estate..."
• A contingent bequest takes effect only under certain conditions: "In the event my wife does not survive me, I give to Houston Audubon Society, the sum of..."
• A formula gift can eliminate all estate taxes by designating Houston Audubon Society, as the beneficiary of any portion of your estate in excess of the maximum allowable exclusion that can pass to your heirs free of estate taxes.
• Wills, living trusts, stocks, bonds, securities, life insurance, retirement assets, real estate, charitable remainder unitrust, charitable remainder annuity trust, charitable gift annuity, charitable lead trust, are some of the many ways to continue to give to your favorite charity, Houston Audubon Society and to reduce your taxable estate.

Whichever of these forms and purposes you choose for your bequest, Houston Audubon Society is able and eager to assist you and your legal and financial advisors. We will consult with professionals in the fields of estate law, trusts, insurance and investments, who volunteer their time and expertise on behalf of Houston Audubon Society. All of these resources are available to you on a strictly confidential basis.

Please contact our Development Department at 713-932-1639 for more information.