Life Insurance Policy

Sometimes people find themselves with life insurance policies they no longer need after the death of a spouse or after children are grown. By contributing such a policy to the Indianapolis Zoological Society, you can make a wonderful gift and reduce taxes that may otherwise be due upon your death.

You can also receive a charitable income-tax deduction for the cash surrender value of the policy when you irrevocably assign the policy to the Indianapolis Zoo. Be sure to use our legal name and address as follows:

Indianapolis Zoological Society
1200 West Washington Street
Indianapolis, IN 46222

Gifts of Percentage Interest in a Policy
You might choose to designate the Indianapolis Zoo to receive only a partial interest (e.g., a percentage) of a life insurance policy.

Gifts of New or Partial-Paid Policies
You may also assign a partially paid policy to the Indianapolis Zoo and keep the policy active by sending premium payments to the Indianapolis Zoo. Or you may purchase a new policy and name the Indianapolis Zoological Society as a beneficiary. All of your payments would be tax deductible if you itemize.

Gifts That Save Capital Gain
Gifts of securities can be used to cover the payments on a new or partially paid life insurance policy, with the Indianapolis Zoological Society named as a beneficiary. By donating securities, capital-gain tax can be entirely eliminated.

Insurance Dividends
The dividends of a whole life insurance policy may be designated to the Indianapolis Zoological Society without reducing the death value of the policy for your beneficiaries. The donor, who remains the owner of the policy, retains the right to borrow against the policy.

Naming the Indianapolis Zoological Society as Beneficiary
Another option is to name the Indianapolis Zoological Society as the primary beneficiary or co-beneficiary of a life insurance policy. You would retain ownership of the policy and have access to the policy’s cash value. Because you retain ownership, no charitable income-tax deduction is allowed at the time of the gift. Although the face value of the policy will be included in your gross estate at your death, your estate will be entitled to an offsetting charitable estate-tax deduction.

Photo by Kerrie Best

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