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Legacy Giving Options

This information is not intended as legal or tax advice. For legal or tax advice, please consult an attorney. Figures cited in examples are for hypothetical purposes only and are subject to change. References to estate and income taxes apply to federal taxes only. State income/estate taxes or state law may impact outcomes.

Why Contribute?

Founded in the early 1950s, the Atlanta Council on International Relations (ACIR) is an American educational, non-profit, and non-governmental organization. The ACIR is dedicated to improving the knowledge and understanding of international affairs for the residents of the Greater Atlanta and North and Central Georgia areas.  The ACIR's mission is educational. It is committed to building, maintaining, and wherever possible, strengthening and expanding the human, institutional, and programmatic bridges between and among the city and people of Atlanta and those from around the world. In particular, it seeks to enhance American awareness and appreciation of the innumerable and multi-faceted benefits that the United States has long obtained and continues to derive from its relations with the rest of the countries in the international community.

Accomplishing this mission requires substantial resources from individuals and families that have benefited from the ACIR’s educational programs, projects, events, and activities.  An investment at any point in one’s life will make a difference for generations to come. Contributing to the ACIR is a powerful and meaningful way for one to strengthen the philanthropic legacy of the ACIR on behalf of our community and the people we seek to serve.

Ways to Contribute

The ACIR's ability to thrive and to continue to be able to offer new generations of members educational programs is dependent upon its many loyal friends, alumni, and program participants. Among these individuals are those who donate their time, talent and financial resources to the ACIR and its mission. The following are suggested ways one can support the ACIR and make a difference:

 

Leaving the ACIR in One’s Will

A bequest in a will or living trust remains by far the most common method donors use to include charities in their estate plans. Bequests provide the ACIR with a source of support that is not subject to fluctuations in the economy. Below are examples of basic ways to leave the ACIR in one’s will.

1. A fixed amount of money or a designated property: "I give to the Atlanta Council on International Relations (EIN:  27-3986379), located in Atlanta, GA, $__________" (or describe the real or personal property, including exact location)

2. A percentage of the estate: "I give to the Atlanta Council on International Relations (EIN:  27-3986379), located in Atlanta, GA, __________% of my estate."

3. A residual bequest: "I give all the residue of my estate, including real and personal property, to the Atlanta Council on International Relations (EIN:  27-3986379), located in Atlanta, GA."

4. A double-purpose bequest. One can provide a relative or friend with income for life through a special gift to the ACIR. One can do this by establishing a charitable trust through one's will. Upon death, the trust pays income to the person one designates. After that person's death, whatever remains in the trust passes to the ACIR. If one wishes to have their bequest applied to a specific program, simply add, "...for the benefit of (name of program)" to the language suggested above.

 

Cash

Gifts of cash have an immediate impact on the ACIR because it enables the ACIR to put the funds to immediate use. Checks can be mailed to 6975 Hunters Knoll, Atlanta, GA 30328. Monthly recurring donation options are available on the ACIR’s website.

 

Gifts of Securities

Stocks are easy-to-value assets that make establishing charitable trusts relatively simple when compared with the transfer of real estate or other hard-to-value assets. An increasing number of donors are making gifts of securities to the ACIR, taking advantage of the tax benefits this type of giving allows. These tax benefits include:

1. An immediate income tax deduction for a percentage of one's gift.

2. No tax on the sale of stock. Donors considering a contribution of appreciated stock often find that the bypass of capital gains tax is their most important tax benefit. Sometimes thousands of dollars that would have been paid in taxes remain in the trust generating income to the donors and a future benefit to the causes of one's choice.

3. Avoidance of estate tax. Upon the death of the last surviving income beneficiaries, whatever remains in the trust passes free of estate tax to the cause of one's choice.

 

Life Insurance

One of the simplest ways to remember the ACIR in one’s estate plan is to make it a beneficiary of all or part of an existing life insurance policy. To do so, one can follow these steps:

1. Ask one's insurance agency for a change of beneficiary form.

2. Fill it out, naming "Atlanta Council on International Relations (EIN: 27-3986379), located in Atlanta, GA," a beneficiary of the policy, either for a percentage or for a specific amount of the proceeds.

3. Inform the ACIR that the change has been made.

Insurance is considered part of one’s estate and may be subject to estate tax, but not if it is designated for the ACIR.  Whatever benefit is set aside for the ACIR will pass from the policy directly to the ACIR free of estate tax.  Filling out a beneficiary designation form is the most common and simplest way to use insurance to benefit a cause of one’s choice.  Though this method does not generate a charitable income tax deduction because the donor is free to revoke the designation at any time, it will pass to the ACIR free of estate tax.

 

Property

If one has possessions to contribute that have appreciated in value and they have owned them for more than a year, the charitable deduction will be equal to their appraised value at the time they are contributed to the ACIR under two conditions: 1) the item is directly related to the ACIR’s charitable purpose, and, 2) the item is held by the ACIR after for at least three years and used for the ACIR’s purposes after the contribution is received.  For example, artifacts and/or books contributed to the ACIR and made part of the ACIR’s permanent collection are deductible at fair market value at the time of transfer.

 

This information is not intended as legal or tax advice. For legal or tax advice, please consult an attorney. Figures cited in examples are for hypothetical purposes only and are subject to change. References to estate and income taxes apply to federal taxes only. State income/estate taxes or state law may impact outcomes.