Leaving a Legacy

Photo: Jason Sangster for Mercy Corps

For more than 25 years, Mercy Corps has worked to alleviate suffering, poverty and oppression by helping people build secure, productive and just communities. During that time, our donors have responded to our work around the world with extraordinary generosity and commitment.

Our donors entrust us with the resources we need to realize our mission. In turn, we want to inform our donors about the range of effective, tax-efficient methods to meet their charitable giving goals.

To learn more about the latest estate planning information available to assist you in your philanthropy, and to get a sense of the variety of ways to give other than donating cash, please choose one of the links below.

Estates and Bequests. A gift through your will or living trust is a simple but significant way to remember Mercy Corps. You may designate Mercy Corps as beneficiary of a specific dollar amount, specific asset, or percentage of your estate. Click here for a PDF document containing suggested bequest language.

Gifts of Stock.

Charitable Gift Annuity. The payout rate for a gift annuity is determined by a person’s age based on the American Council of Gift Annuities and is fixed for life. In addition to the steady income stream, a gift annuity also provides a sizeable income tax deduction and partly tax-free.

Deferred Gift Annuity. A deferred gift annuity is a contract between you and Mercy Corps in which you donate cash, stock, real estate, or another asset in exchange for a steady stream of income. A deferred gift annuity allows you to make a generous donation now and income payouts in the future.

Life Insurance. Mercy Corps can be the primary or the contingent beneficiary of your life insurance.

Retirement Plans. Mercy Corps can be named as the beneficiary of the remainder of your assets in your retirement account.

Real Estate. When you donate real estate to Mercy Corps, either outright or in exchange for a gift annuity or CRT, you can avoid capital gains.

Charitable Remainder Trust. Charitable Remainder Trusts (CRTs) can be a very powerful planning tool for retirement and estate planning. CRTs provide payments to the donor or other designated beneficiary for the term of the trust. At the end of the term, the remaining principal is distributed to Mercy Corps. CRTs offer four favorable tax outcomes: capital gains tax avoidance, income tax deduction, tax-free compounding, and estate tax reduction.

IRA. Until the end of this year, the Tax-Free IRA Charitable Rollover provision has been reinstated through the Financial Rescue Package. Individuals can make a gift to Mercy Corps directly from an individual retirement account.

• Limited to 2009 tax year
• Minimum age is 70 1/2 years
• Transfers must go directly from the IRA to Mercy Corps
• Maximum rollover is $100,000 per year

Our knowledgeable staff looks forward to answering your specific questions about how you can help Mercy Corps realize its mission while meeting your own estate and financial goals.

Our gift calculator provides the opportunity to evaluate numerous deferred giving opportunities by typing in your specific information and needs. Try it now.

Giron Legacy Society

In 1982, Mercy Corps recruited a bright, charismatic Guatemalan pediatrician named Oscar "Tito" Giron to establish a village health program in neighboring Honduras. He was one of Mercy Corps' first employees, and he often rode his small motorcycle back and forth between villages to treat his patients. Dr. Giron was passionate about his work, and said he became a pediatrician "because I believe children are the hope and the future of the world."

Dr. Giron died in selfless service to others; he was a victim of Honduras' political unrest. Today, Mercy Corps honors his commitment and devotion to the humanitarian cause through the Giron Legacy Society. Established in 2003, the Giron Legacy Society honors donors who support Mercy Corps through estate planning.

If you want to learn more about deferred giving opportunities, contact Christine Tye, Senior Director of Development, toll-free at 800-292-3355 ext. 5570, 503-896-5770, or email ctye@mercycorps.org.

This guide is not intended to provide specific advice about your estate plan or to recommend a specific course of action. We suggest you consult your professional advisers before taking any action, and then contact Mercy Corps’s planned giving office to learn more about these giving strategies.

• Suggested Bequest Language
  PDF Format, 64.7 KB