After taking care of family and loved ones, remembering the Wappingers Historical Society as a beneficiary or as a bequest in your will or family trust is a simple way to pass along something special that lives on through the work we do.

 

As always, please check with your tax advisor or seek legal advice before making any changes to your estate or beneficiary designations.

 

Planned Giving – An Easy Way to Support and Share Local History

 

We hope you’ll consider naming the Wappingers Historical Society as a beneficiary of a life insurance policy, Certificate of Deposit, retirement asset such as an IRA, pension or 401K, or annuity.

 

Beneficiary designation is the simplest way to ensure your support of our organization, and does not require any changes to your estate. Simply designate us as a beneficiary, either at the time of account opening or as an update to the beneficiary status on these financial products.

 

Please contact us at the link below for our tax number and other related information which you will need to provide to your financial institution. Your gift will create a legacy to help ensure that the 1741 Mesier Homestead and the history of the Village of Wappingers Falls and Town of Wappinger will be preserved and shared and for generations to come.
 

Bequests – Gifting a Portion of Your Estate in Your Will or Family Trust

 

The thought of creating or updating a will or trust can be overwhelming, but having a document that reflects your wishes is one of the most important things you can do for yourself and your family, regardless of the overall value of your estate.  If you do not have a will or have not included a cause like ours in your estate planning, why not create one or amend it to include your gift to the Wappingers Historical Society?

 

Bequests offer flexibility:  you can specify that the Wappingers Historical Society receive a certain dollar amount from your estate, specific assets (such as securities or real estate), a percentage of your estate, or the remainder of your estate after payment of expenses and providing for heirs. 

 

To make a charitable bequest to us, simply include a statement* in your will or trust agreement.  Examples are:

 

 “I give, devise, and bequeath unto the Wappingers Historical Society, Inc. an exempt organization in New York State, all of my residuary estate  - OR -   a portion of my residuary estate equal to ____% thereof   -OR -   the following described property  ____________   - OR -   the sum of ___________ for general tax-exempt purposes.”

 

*You should consult with your own legal advisor before adding this or any charitable bequest to your will, trust or retirement account.

 

The most tax effective gift you can make at death is a bequest. When you include a qualified charity in your will or plan, your estate is reduced by that amount, which means that much less is subject to estate taxes.  The money that would have gone to the government can be strategically used to help your family and loved ones as well as the causes you cherish.
 

Bequests of all sizes and for a wide range of purposes are essential to the Society’s longevity. If you have made or are thinking of making a gift of a bequest, please let us know. Not just so that we can thank you, but to make your future bequest part of the present. Knowing about your bequest is as wonderful as having the resources available. It helps us plan with the benefit of actually knowing a little bit of the future. Just as your gift is limited only by your imagination, your possibilities for making it a reality are also almost endless.