A gift in your will to Girl Scouts of the USA or your local Girl Scout council is one of the easiest ways to create your legacy in the next generation of girls.
- Costs you nothing now to give in this way;
- Flexible: You can alter your gift or change your mind at any time and for any reason;
- Lasting impact: Your gift will create your legacy of love for the incredible girls that Girl Scouts USA, and your local council, serve.
4 simple ‘no-cost-now’ ways to give in your will
1GENERAL GIFT IN YOUR WILL
Leaves a gift of a stated sum of money in your will or living trust. For example, you might decide to leave each of your grandchildren $10,000. It’s considered to be ‘general’ because it doesn’t specify from where the money comes.
2RESIDUAL GIFT IN YOUR WILLLeaves what is left over after all other debts, taxes, and other expenses have been paid.
3SPECIFIC GIFT IN YOUR WILLLeaves a specific dollar amount, percentage, fraction, or specific items (collections, art, books, jewelry, and so on).
You can mix these no-cost ways together. For example, you might consider leaving a specific percentage (such as 50%) of the residual to Girl Scouts USA or your local council contingent upon the survival of your spouse.
View Sample Language for Your Will or Trust
I invite you to contact me so we can chat about easy ways to make an impact at no current costs to you.
Gifts by Beneficiary Designation
It’s easy to put your bank accounts, retirement funds, savings bonds, and more to use in creating a world impacted by Girl Scouts — and it costs nothing now.
By naming Girl Scouts USA, or your local council, as a beneficiary of these assets, you power the Movement to impact lives for future generations. Your gift could impact senate, science, business – the impact your gift makes through Girl Scouts becomes your personal legacy to the world.
Potential benefits of gifts by beneficiary designation:
- Reduce or eliminate taxes on retirement assets;
- Reduce or avoid probate fees;
- No cost to you now to give;
- Create your legacy with Girl Scouts.
To name Girl Scouts USA, or your local council, as a beneficiary of your retirement plan, contact your bank or insurance company to see whether a change of beneficiary form must be completed.
How to change a beneficiary designation
1Login to your account or request a Change of Beneficiary Form from your custodian (the business holding your money or assets).
2Follow the links to change your beneficiary or fill out the form.
3Be sure to spell the name of our organization properly: Girl Scouts of the United States of America
4Include our tax identification number: 13-1624016
5Save or submit your information online or return your Change of Beneficiary Form.
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Bank accounts, CDs, brokerage accounts, and commercial annuities >
This is one of the easiest gifts to give and one of the most useful in accomplishing your philanthropic goals. The next time you visit your bank, you can name Girl Scouts (Tax ID: 13-1624016) as the beneficiary of a checking or savings bank account, a certificate of deposit (CD), or a brokerage account. When you do, you’ll take a powerful step toward impacting girl-leaders for generations to come. For more information on how to impact your local council, please click here.
Savings bonds >
If you have bonds that have stopped earning interest and you plan to redeem them, you might owe income tax on the appreciation. That could result in your heirs receiving only a fraction of the value of the bonds in which you invested. Since Girl Scouts is a tax-exempt organization, naming us as a beneficiary means that 100% of your gift will go toward impacting girls.
Retirement funds gift >
This is one of the easiest gifts to give and one of the most useful in accomplishing your philanthropic goals. The next time you visit your bank, you can name Girl Scouts (Tax ID: 13-1624016) as the beneficiary of a checking or savings bank account, a certificate of deposit (CD), or a brokerage account. When you do, you’ll take a powerful step toward impacting girl-leaders for generations to come. For more information on how to impact your local council, please click here.
Donor-advised fund (DAF) residuals >
What remains in a donor advised fund is governed by the contract you completed when you created your fund. When you name Girl Scouts USA, or your local council, as a “successor” of your account or a portion of your account value, more girls will be empowered to change their world.
To create a world where girls lead, contact Mary Brunner, at (212) 852-6560 or legacy@girlscouts.org.
For information about your local council, please click here.
Giving Toolkit
Questions?
Mary Brunner
(212) 852-6560
legacy@girlscouts.org
Create your will for free at
trustandwill.com/girlscouts!