Planned Giving

You may leave a specific gift amount or a percentage of your estate in your will. The language can be as simple as “I give and devise to Champlain Housing Trust, Inc (Tax ID 22-2536446) $ _____ (or _____%) to be used to support its mission.” You may also decide to designate CHT as the beneficiary of the remainder of your estate after other beneficiaries are paid.

One simple, immediate, and impactful use of your retirement account is to direct a distribution straight from your retirement account. Making a charitable gift from your retirement plan is easy and can provide you with significant tax advantages. You can simply ask your plan’s administrator to send the distribution check to Champlain Housing Trust. You will not pay taxes on the distribution and it may also qualify as a charitable gift.

Charitable trusts can provide you or a beneficiary with income for a period of time while providing tax benefits to you or your estate by transferring assets such as securities, cash, annuities, or other property to a trustee. An estate attorney can help you accomplish your income goals while also supporting CHT’s mission.

Leaving a home or property in your estate planning is an excellent way to demonstrate your commitment to CHT’s mission to steward permanently affordable housing. Whether you would like your home to become one kept affordable by CHT over time, or whether the asset (or a portion of the asset) could be used to support our programs, there’s an obvious connection between the home you love and keeping your community affordable for future generations. CHT’s staff can help you think through the most impactful way to make a gift of real estate, so please contact us if this is something you would like to explore.

Here is a story of how one couple decided to make this type of gift.

Naming CHT as the beneficiary of your life insurance plan or a qualified retirement plan asset such as a 401(k), 403(b), IRA, Keogh or profit-sharing pension plan will accomplish a charitable goal while possibly realizing significant tax savings and avoiding costly tax consequences to heirs. Donors considering this option should consult a tax advisor for their own specific circumstances. By naming CHT as a beneficiary of a retirement plan, a donor retains complete control over the asset while living, but at the donor’s death the plan passes to support CHT free of both estate and income taxes. Making CHT a beneficiary should not cost you any attorney fees. Simply request a change of beneficiary form from your plan administrator.