Charitable Lead Trusts

Protect Your Assets

If you want to make an impact now at the National Audubon Society and also provide for your family later, consider setting up a charitable lead trust. You transfer cash or other assets to a trust that makes payments to the National Audubon Society for a period of time. When the term is up, the remaining trust passes to your family or other beneficiaries you select.

Lead trusts are most commonly used to decrease taxes on sizable estates, and/or protect assets that you want to pass down to heirs.

There are many ways to configure a charitable lead trust. Contact us to discuss the best type of trust for your situation.

An Example of How It Works

Father smiling with children George would like to support Audubon and receive tax benefits. George received a windfall amount of income and needs a large income tax deduction to offset the income. Following his advisor’s recommendation, George funds a grantor charitable lead annuity trust with assets valued at $1,000,000. George’s trust pays $60,000 (6% of the initial fair market value) to Audubon each year for 15 years, which will total $900,000. After that, the balance in the trust reverts back to George. He receives an income tax charitable deduction of $614,445. Assuming the trust earns an average 8% annual rate of return, George receives approximately $1,600,286 at the end of the trust term.

*Based on a 5.2% charitable midterm federal rate. Deductions and calculations will vary depending on your personal circumstances.

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Next Steps

  1. Contact us at 212-979-3033 or plannedgifts@audubon.org to talk about supporting Audubon by setting up a charitable lead trust.
  2. Seek the advice of your financial or legal advisor.
  3. If you include Audubon in your plans, please use our legal name and federal tax ID.

Legal name: National Audubon Society, Inc.
Address: 225 Varick Street, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10014
Federal tax ID number: 13-1624102

Discover More

See which type of charitable trust best fits your estate plan with the FREE guide Trusts: Choose From Two Ways to Donate.

Personal Estate Planning Kit

Our Top Free Resource

This comprehensive estate planning kit helps you protect your family and establish your legacy. FREE!

Download My Kit