Charitable Bequest

Adding a charitable gift to Solar United Neighbors to your will, revocable trust, retirement account, or life insurance policy is a simple act with lasting results.

You don’t have to be wealthy. Most charitable bequests are made by everyday people.

Here’s how it works…

Your will or trust

  1. You designate a particular amount or a percentage of your estate to Solar United Neighbors by including a bequest provision in your will or revocable trust. You can do this while creating your will or revocable trust, or you can amend your existing one. Solar United Neighbors can be either a primary or a contingent beneficiary.
    Here’s a sample of what your will or trust might say:
    I give, devise, and bequeath [here you would insert a dollar amount, a percentage of your estate, or indicate the rest and residue of your estate] to Solar United Neighbors, a District of Columbia nonprofit, tax-exempt corporation. Solar United Neighbors’ IRS-designated tax ID number is 46-2462990.
  2. You inform Solar United Neighbors of your commitment, which helps for planning and ensures your wishes can be fulfilled. This is especially important for potential gifts of real estate or other specialized property. Email us at development@solarunitedneighbors.org.
  3. Solar United Neighbors receives the gift after your lifetime and applies it to its mission. Your charitable gift will support Solar United Neighbors’ work to educate communities about going solar, and to help solar owners and supporters fight for clean energy rights.
  4. Your charitable distribution may be fully deductible for federal estate tax purposes. In general, there is no federal limit on the deduction of charitable bequests against the value of an estate. This can make charitable bequests a powerful tool for reducing estate tax.

Your retirement account and life insurance policy

Designating Solar United Neighbors as a successor beneficiary on your life insurance policy, IRA, or other retirement account can be an easy, tax-wise way to support a cause you care about as part of your legacy.

Distributions resulting from these beneficiary designations do not go through probate. So they’re a great way to ensure that Solar United Neighbors has quick access to your charitable gift after your lifetime even if some of your estate has to go through probate.

  1. Ask your employer or your plan administrator to provide you with the appropriate form to use to designate Solar United Neighbors as a beneficiary.
  2. To assist you in completing your institution’s beneficiary designation form, it will be helpful for you to know that Solar United Neighbors is based in the District of Columbia. Our tax ID number is 46-2462990.

Other ways to give

Questions?

Email us at development@solarunitedneighbors.org.

Note: Solar United Neighbors is not a law firm and thus does not provide legal advice. The contents of this page do not constitute legal advice. For legal or financial planning advice, please consult your attorney or financial advisor.