A Bequest to Further Good Work

• David: "The work of our favorite nonprofit was important to us. We regularly made cash gifts but wanted to do more. We received the organization's newsletter and noted that we could make a gift from our estate and join the legacy society. We saw a picture of smiling people just like us, and we wanted to be part of that group."
• Nancy: "We met with our lawyer to revise our wills, and we each included a provision for a bequest to a nonprofit organization. Our lawyer put language in the will that allows a percentage of our estate to go to our favorite nonprofit. This was easy to arrange and permits us to still use our assets during our lives if we need them."
• David: "We told their gift planner about our decision and were excited when we were invited to a special event honoring us. We will continue to make gifts during our lives, but it feels good to know that our support will help in the future."

What is a charitable bequest?

A bequest is a gift you can make to support the National Academy of Sciences's mission in your will, living trust or with a codicil.

Charitable bequest video

Is a charitable bequest right for you?

We have resources that will help you learn more about bequests. Please review our sample bequest language. You will see how easy it is to include a bequest in your will or trust.

You might find it helpful to print this page and the bequest language. Please feel free to give this information to your attorney. If he or she has any questions, please contact us.

Please note: The information above is representative of a typical donor and may or may not be an actual donor to our organization.