Planned Giving

You can help to ensure the long-term financial strength of our YMCA with a planned gift.

The rewards are immediate, even if the gift comes years from now.

Bequest

How it works:

• You include a bequest provision in your will or revocable trust
• At your death, the YMCA of Ithaca and Tompkins County (or designated program or project) receives the bequest you specified

Deferred Gifts

How it works:

• Charitable Lead Trust your heir will benefit with a lower tax rate and the charity receives an annual payment
• Confer with your accountant, tax advisor, or wealth manager

IRAs and Retirement Plans 

How it works:

• If instead of another person, you gift your IRA distribution to a YMCA, you can claim a deduction for your gift. The deduction is an itemized deduction, so in order to take advantage of the tax break, you have to forgo your standard deduction. However, the deduction is limited to a maximum of 50 percent of your adjusted gross income for the year and may be only 30 percent depending on the charity to which you make the donation.

or

• Qualified Charitable Distributions
  You can gift money directly from your IRA to a charity if you meet certain criteria. The distribution must be a required minimum distribution and you must be over 70 1/2 years old. In addition, you must have the trustee of your IRA transfer the money directly from the IRA to the YMCA and the amount of the qualified charitable distribution can’t exceed $100,000. The advantage of using a qualified charitable distribution to gift your IRA to the YMCA is you don’t have to report the distribution as income and then itemize your deductions to claim the tax break.

Life Insurance

How it works:

• Donors can make a sizable face-value gift for a minimal outlay of cash.
• May give an existing policy ( fully paid, partially paid, or a new policy)
• Naming the YMCA as beneficiary. Upon the donor’s death, the YMCA will receive all or portions designated from the policy.
• The donor is entitled to charitable income tax deductions equal to the cash surrender value of the property and any future premiums paid only if the YMCA is named as the owner and beneficiary of the policy

Real Estate

How it works:

• Real estate is donated or by bequest, reviewing the real estate checklist.
• Acceptance is subject to the approval of the Board of Directors

​Benefits

• You may change your bequest or trust designation at any time
• You control the funding property during your lifetime
• Your bequest or trust designation will not be subject to any potential federal estate tax
• You provide future support for the YMCA

Stock

How it works:

• It can be sold by a broker or owner
• Ascertain fair market value ( i.e. Wall Street Journal)
• After it is sold the assets are transferred to the YMCA

A financial gift to the YMCA allows us to continually find new ways to build thriving communities. A planned gift to the Y will continue this work for generations.

If you are interested or have any questions regarding the options above, please give us a call at 607-257-0101 or email info@ithacaymca.com, and we'll connect you with the right person.