Gifts That Cost You Nothing Now
Gifts in a will or by beneficiary designation are two easy ways to ensure the aquatic animal world thrives for years to come – and they don’t cost anything now.
If you have already included a gift in your estate plans to benefit the future of Shedd Aquarium, be sure to let us know so that we may best honor your wishes.
Gifts in a Will
Making a legacy gift in your will or trust is one of the easiest and most popular ways to make a lasting impact for Shedd Aquarium. Once you have provided for your loved ones, we hope you will consider making our mission part of your life story through a legacy gift.
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A gift in your will is one of the easiest ways to create your legacy and offers the following benefits:
LASTING IMPACT
Your gift will create your legacy of protecting aquatic life.
FLEXIBLE
You can alter your gift or change your mind at any time and for any reason.
NO COST
Costs you nothing now to give in this way.
Four simple, “no-cost-now” ways to give in your will
General gift
A general bequest is a gift of a specific amount.
Residuary gift
Contingent gift
You can mix these no-cost ways together. For example, you might consider leaving a specific percentage (such as 50%) of the residual to Shedd Aquarium contingent upon the survival of your spouse.
Gifts by Beneficiary Designation
It’s easy to put your bank accounts, retirement funds, savings bonds and more to use toward the conservation of aquatic life — and it costs you nothing now.
By naming Shedd Aquarium as a beneficiary of these assets, you can power our mission for years to come and establish your personal legacy of aquatic conservation.
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Potential benefits of gifts by beneficiary designation:
Reduce or eliminate taxes
Reduce or avoid probate fees
No cost to you now to give
Create your legacy with Shedd Aquarium
Types of Gifts
Retirement plan assets
You can simply name Shedd Aquarium as a beneficiary of your retirement plan to inspire conservation of the aquatic world.
Life insurance policies
You can name Shedd Aquarium as a beneficiary of all or a portion of your life insurance policy. With this gift arrangement, Shedd Aquarium will receive the proceeds of your policy after your lifetime. You can change your beneficiary at any time and may reduce your estate taxes.
Funds remaining in your donor-advised fund
Bank or brokerage accounts
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 the John G. Shedd Aquarium Society (Tax ID: 36-2167918) 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 protecting aquatic animals for generations to come.
How to update a beneficiary designation:
Simply contact your bank, retirement plan administrator, insurance company or other financial institution to request a beneficiary designation form. You may also be able to log in to your account and update your beneficiaries online.
Please use our legal name: Shedd Aquarium Society
Include our tax identification number: 36-2167918
Please let us know so we can ensure that your wishes are carried out.
Our Team is Here to Help
Our experienced team is here to help you…
- Learn about special projects that align with your interests.
- Structure a donation that maximizes benefits for you and your loved ones.
- Stay up to date on how your gift is used.
- And more!
Maggie Olson
Manager of Individual Giving
Complimentary Gift Planning Resources are Just a Click Away!
