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More about the LeConte Society...

The LeConte Planned Giving Society

Remembering Your Yosemite

The LeConte Planned Giving Society honors those who have given to The Yosemite Fund in their estate plans. A charitable estate gift is a commitment to be proud of.

The Society is named after Joseph LeConte, a U.C. Berkeley professor who was deeply immersed in Yosemite's wonders and harbored a strong commitment to preserve the Park for future generations.

Individuals who make arrangements to remember Yosemite in their estate planning become members of the LeConte Society. Benefits include invitations to special events and name recognition on the Honor Wall at the Valley Visitor Center at the time the gift is received.

Gifts can by made by a bequest in a will or living trust as well as in a variety of ways that provide tax benefits and income for life to the donor. Popular ways to remember Yosemite are listed below.

For more information please contact us at 800-4MY-PARK or info@yosemitefund.org.

Planned giving options:

Please be aware that the information presented here is general in nature. You should contact your professional tax or legal advisor for specific information for structuring a gift.


Bequest

One of the simplest ways to make a gift to Yosemite is through your will or living trust. You can name The Yosemite Fund the direct beneficiary of specific assets, or a portion of your estate, or of your residual estate after payment of other bequests. Bequests to the Fund are entirely free from federal estate tax and can, therefore, offer substantial estate tax savings. There is no limit on the amount you can leave to Yosemite through your will.

If you wish to include the Fund and Yosemite in your will or living trust, please use the following language after stating the nature of the gift:

"The Yosemite Fund, a non-profit corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of California, with a current address of 155 Montgomery Street, Suite 1104, San Francisco, CA 94104 and a federal tax identification number of 94-3058041."


Retirement Plan Beneficiary Designation

You can name the Fund as a partial or total beneficiary of your Individual Retirement Account (IRA), pension plan, employer retirement plan, Keogh plan, 401(k), 403(b) or other qualified pension plan. This type of gift to The Yosemite Fund is distributed outside of probate and is entirely free of both federal estate tax and income tax. There is no limit on the amount you can leave to Yosemite through a retirement plan beneficiary designation.


Life Insurance Gifts

There are several ways you can remember Yosemite through your life insurance policies. You can name The Yosemite Fund as a beneficiary of a new or existing policy. You can assign the Fund as the owner of a no longer needed paid-up or partially paid policy. You may also take out a new policy with the Fund as the owner.


Charitable Remainder Trust (CRT)

With the typical charitable remainder trust, long-term appreciated securities are donated to a trust for the ultimate benefit of Yosemite and the Fund. The transfer of assets is irrevocable and can be for your life or the lives of your beneficiaries or for a set number of years (maximum of 20). Income is payable to you as the donor or your beneficiaries, either in fixed or variable amounts depending upon the form of the trust. The amount of income you or your beneficiaries will receive depends upon your age or the age of the beneficiaries. The Fund will receive the "remainder" of assets upon termination of the trust. You will receive a charitable deduction and avoid capital gains tax on the appreciation in securities. Currently, the minimum gift to the Fund via a charitable remainder trust is $50,000.


Charitable Lead Trust

With the typical charitable lead trust, donors transfer assets into the trust for the life or lives of individuals or for a term of years with the Fund named as the income beneficiary. During the term of the trust, the Fund received income payments at an agreed upon rate of interest. At the end of the term of the trust, the assets are transferred back to the donor or to another individual, typically a family member. Generally, the gift of interest to the Fund qualifies for a charitable income tax deduction.


Real Estate Gifts

Donations of real estate may be done through a bequest in a will or living trust. There is also a gift of remainder interest in a personal residence (Life Estate Remainder). With this gift, the donor irrevocably transfers ownership of a personal residence to charity, retaining the right to live in or otherwise use property during the donor's lifetime. This gift creates an income tax deduction for the present value of the calculated remainder gift to charity. Deduction can be carried forward to future years if necessary. This type of gift allows the donor to take the personal residence out of their taxable estate while still residing in it.


Support The Yosemite Fund today!

For more information please contact us at 800-4MY-PARK or info@yosemitefund.org