1888 Legacy Society
Leave a legacy for others to follow...
WHAT IS PLANNED GIVING AND HOW DOES IT HELP THE BECKET ATHENAEUM?
The goal of planned giving is to help you plan your estate and charitable giving in a way that benefits you, your family, and our beloved library.
There are several ways you can make a planned gift to our endowment funds and help ensure the financial health of the Becket Athenaeum for generations to come.
Donors who choose to make a gift of any size now to one of our endowment funds or leave an estate gift in the future will become members of our 1888 Legacy Society.
When you remember the Becket Athenaeum in your will, you may reduce your estate taxes while supporting our community. We will help you ensure that your wishes are clearly represented so that they can be carefully carried out in the future. Gift and estate planning allow flexibility for changes in the future at any time.
If you have already included the Becket Athenaeum in your estate plan or will, please let us know so we can recognize your generosity and honor you as a founding member of the 1888 Legacy Society.
GIVE NOW
You may make a direct contribution to our endowment funds at any time to become a member of the 1888 Legacy Society.
ROLLOVER YOUR IRA If you are over age 70½, the federal government permits you to roll over up to $100,000 from your IRA to charity without increasing your taxable income or paying any additional tax.
GIVE APPRECIATED STOCK A gift of stocks or bonds may provide you with an even greater tax benefit. If you have owned securities for more than one year and the value has increased, you can avoid capital gains tax and receive a charitable income tax deduction equal to the fair market value of your gift to us.
DONATE ONLINE To make a tax-deductible donation using your credit card, visit BerkshireTaconic.org and click on “Donate.” Use the search field to call up the fund of your choice:
• Becket Athenaeum Endowment Fund
• Becket Athenaeum Children’s Endowment Fund
CONTRIBUTE VIA CHECK Make check payable to Berkshire Taconic/Becket Athenaeum Endowment or Children’s Endowment Fund and mail to:
Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation
800 North Main St
Sheffield, MA 01257
LET US KNOW Fill out a Gift Intention Form and we will help you make your gift and acknowledge you as a founding member of the 1888 Legacy Society. Once you’ve completed the form, please mail to our address below or scan and send via email to PlannedGiving@BWLibrary.org.
GIVE LATER
MAKE A BEQUEST Your will may include a gift of a specific asset, a dollar amount, or a percentage of your estate to either (or both) of our endowment funds. We have suggested language for your will and a simple Bequest Intention Form readily available for your use. Once completed, please mail to our address below or scan and send via email to PlannedGiving@BWLibrary.org.
NAME BECKET ATHENAEUM as the beneficiary of retirement assets or life insurance by simply calling your financial institution.
WORK WITH YOUR ATTORNEY to learn about trusts and charitable annuities.
PLANS CHANGE! You are able to change and update your bequest intention at any time.
You will create a lasting legacy.
Join us.
The Becket Athenaeum Endowment Fund and the
Becket Athenaeum Children’s Endowment Fund
are both funds of
Questions?
Contact:
Purr at Becket Athenaeum
(413) 623-5169
PlannedGiving@BWLibrary.org
or
Kelly at Berkshire Taconic
(413) 229-0370
KSweet@BerkshireTaconic.org