Gifts in a will or by beneficiary designation are two easy ways to fulfill our solemn commitment to Soldiers in any situation for years to come — and they don’t cost anything now.
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 Army Emergency Relief. By simply signing your name, you can create a legacy that provides stability for Soldiers for years to come.
Once you have provided for your loved ones, we hope you will consider making supporting Soldiers and their families part of your life story through a legacy gift.
Benefits to you include:
A gift in your will is one of the easiest ways to create your legacy and offers the following benefits.
- NO COST: Costs you nothing now to give in this way.
- FLEXIBLE: You can alter your gift or change you mind at any time and for any reason.
- LASTING IMPACT: Your gift will create your legacy of helping Soldiers get through tough times.
Four simple, “no-cost-now” ways to give in your will
General gift
Leaves a gift of a stated sum of money to Army Emergency Relief in your will or living trust.
Residual gift
Leaves what is left over after all other debts, taxes, and other expenses have been paid.
Specific gift
Leaves a specific dollar amount, percentage, fraction, or specific items (collections, art, books, jewelry, etc.).
Contingent gift
Leaves a stated amount or share only if a spouse, family member or other heir/beneficiary does not live longer than you. In other words, your gift is contingent upon whether or not they survive after you.
NOTE: You can mix these no-cost ways together. For example, you might consider leaving a specific percentage (such as 50%) of the residual to Army Emergency Relief 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 in giving Soldiers and their families help in times of need — and it costs you nothing now.
By naming Army Emergency Relief as a beneficiary of these assets, you can power our mission for years to come and establish your personal legacy of supporting Soldiers.
Potential benefits to you include:
- Reduce or eliminate taxes
- Reduce or avoid probate fees
- No cost to you now to give
- Create your legacy with Army Emergency Relief
To name Army Emergency Relief as a beneficiary of an asset, contact the custodian of that asset to see whether a change of beneficiary form must be completed.
How to change a beneficiary designation:
Login to your account or request a Change of Beneficiary Form from your custodian (the business holding your money or assets).
Follow the links to change your beneficiary or fill out the form.
Be sure to spell the name of our organization properly: Army Emergency Relief
Include our tax identification number: 53-0196552
Save or submit your information online or return your Change of Beneficiary Form.
Types of Gifts
A gift of retirement funds
You can simply name Army Emergency Relief as a beneficiary of your retirement plan to support Soldiers and their families for generations to come.
A gift of funds remaining in your bank accounts, brokerage accounts or certificate of deposit (CD)
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 Army Emergency Relief (Tax ID: 53-0196552) 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 ensuring no Soldier is left behind in times of distress.
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 Army Emergency Relief as a “successor” of your account or a portion of your account value, you enable financial support, scholarships, and other life-changing programs for Soldiers and their loved ones.
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 Army Emergency Relief is a tax-exempt institution, naming us as a beneficiary means that 100% of your gift will go toward helping Soldiers and their families during their time of need.
Creative Ways to Make a Major Impact
