Kate Johnson's interest in Africa developed in the 1990s. While at first Africa had seemed too big, and travel too difficult to arrange, when a forest-ranger friend from Ireland planned a "crazily inexpensive" tour for a small group, she decided to take the plunge. More
Sue Orloff, like many women in their 60s, is fulfilling aspirations about which she had previously only dreamed. It all started when Sue was 22 and spent a year hitchhiking through parts of Africa. She realized then her life path should be work in wildlife conservation. Thirty years later, Sue is a professional wildlife biologist and published author of many articles on endangered species in the U.S. More
Jane Fouser’s wish to volunteer at the zoo finally came true after retirement. It was here that her passion for Africa ignited. As a docent, she obtained extensive information about the animals, many of which were African species. Volunteering for Dr. Travis, Jane assisted on projects related to chimpanzees in Tanzania’s Gombe National Park and to mountain gorillas with the Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project in Rwanda. More
If variety is the spice of life, Sandra Rosencrans has packed several lifetimes worth of flavor into her 79 years. She has, after all, been an ad copywriter, TV voice-over actress, U.S. Army officer, chief of public affairs for the Environmental Protection Agency’s Mid-Atlantic Region, bed-and-breakfast proprietor, and even a professional stencil artist! More
Jennifer Ritman has always had a special affinity for animals—and they, for her. For Jennifer, the idea that so few elephants, mountain gorillas, lions and other wildlife exist in the wild was gut-wrenching enough to want to make a legacy gift for their sake. More
Like many New Yorkers, Billy and Cheryl Geffon's lives changed forever on Sept. 11, 2001. The day began like any other as Billy, a Wall Street money manager, and wife Cheryl, a veteran Newburgh, N.Y., school teacher, left for work. They came home shaken and with a completely new outlook on their priorities. More
Earlier this year, I had the opportunity to travel across Kenya on an AWF member safari. The trip brought us to many breathtaking landscapes, where we enjoyed spectacular wildlife viewing both at national parks and at local conservancies that AWF helps to support. More
Silent, save for the rustling of their magnificent bodies against the tall grass, the large herd of elephants passed close by our Land Rover in grace and majesty. The matriarch's gait was slow, almost leisurely. Yet there was a regal sense to her posture; her head held high and straight. She and her group of calves and extended family members moved off into the distance. More
Growing up in Colorado and California, Sally Davidson cared deeply for animals and was often concerned for their welfare. Circuses in particular bothered her, because she didn’t like the way the animals were being used, and she worried about how they were being treated as they were transported from place to place. More
As an only child, Melanie Harkness (née Gray) spent a lot of time alone, but was rarely lonely. She remembers exploring nature for hours, interacting with the frogs and other creatures she encountered on her long outings. Through this unstructured time, she developed an intimate relationship with nature that molded her for the rest of her life. More
Legacy. It is a concept that many don't contemplate until later in life. For some, it can take a lifetime to answer such questions as, "How do I want to be remembered?" "What kind of impact do I want to make on the world after I'm gone?" and "Who should receive my worldly goods when I no longer need them?" Others simply procrastinate when it comes to pondering their mortality. More
Candace Ritz is not your average 29-year-old. A busy financial planner at a corporate law firm, Ritz has just bought her first home, volunteers for animal welfare organizations all over the world, and is now starting up her own eco-friendly greeting-card business. More
Susan Glasbrenner, a peace officer in New York, has never been to Africa, yet she can distinguish a black rhino from a white one and a dikdik from other similar-looking antelopes. From an early age, she learned to recognize the fantastical creatures of a distant continent, not from the back of a... More
"I envision children, no matter how far ahead in the future, having the opportunity I have had to be observed by a silverback gorilla, not through the bars of a cage, but because he chose to stop and turn back on the trail to look at me." More
The information on this website is not intended as legal or tax advice. For such advice, please consult an attorney or tax advisor. Figures cited in examples are for hypothetical purposes only and are subject to change. References to estate and income taxes include federal taxes only. State income/estate taxes or state law may impact your results. Annuities are subject to regulation by the State of California. Payments under such agreements, however, are not protected or otherwise guaranteed by any government agency or the California Life and Health Insurance Guarantee Association. A charitable gift annuity is not regulated by the Oklahoma Insurance Department and is not protected by a guaranty association affiliated with the Oklahoma Insurance Department. Charitable gift annuities are not regulated by and are not under the jurisdiction of the South Dakota Division of Insurance.
A charitable bequest is one or two sentences in your will or living trust that leave to African Wildlife Foundation a specific item, an amount of money, a gift contingent upon certain events or a percentage of your estate.
an individual or organization designated to receive benefits or funds under a will or other contract, such as an insurance policy, trust or retirement plan
Bequest Language"I, [name], of [city, state, ZIP], give, devise and bequeath to the African Wildlife Foundation [written amount or percentage of the estate or description of property] for its unrestricted use and purpose."
able to be changed or cancelled
A revocable living trust is set up during your lifetime and can be revoked at any time before death. They allow assets held in the trust to pass directly to beneficiaries without probate court proceedings and can also reduce federal estate taxes.
cannot be changed or cancelled
tax on gifts generally paid by the person making the gift rather than the recipient
the original value of an asset, such as stock, before its appreciation or depreciation
the growth in value of an asset like stock or real estate since the original purchase
the price a willing buyer and willing seller can agree on
The person receiving the gift annuity payments.
the part of an estate left after debts, taxes and specific bequests have been paid
a written and properly witnessed legal change to a will
the person named in a will to manage the estate, collect the property, pay any debt, and distribute property according to the will
A donor advised fund is an account that you set up but which is managed by a nonprofit organization. You contribute to the account, which grows tax-free. You can recommend how much (and how often) you want to distribute money from that fund to AWF or other charities. You cannot direct the gifts.
An endowed gift can create a new endowment or add to an existing endowment. The principal of the endowment is invested and a portion of the principal’s earnings are used each year to support our mission.
Tax on the growth in value of an asset—such as real estate or stock—since its original purchase.
Securities, real estate or any other property having a fair market value greater than its original purchase price.
Real estate can be a personal residence, vacation home, timeshare property, farm, commercial property or undeveloped land.
A charitable remainder trust provides you or other named individuals income each year for life or a period not exceeding 20 years from assets you give to the trust you create.
You give assets to a trust that pays our organization set payments for a number of years, which you choose. The longer the length of time, the better the potential tax savings to you. When the term is up, the remaining trust assets go to you, your family or other beneficiaries you select. This is an excellent way to transfer property to family members at a minimal cost.
You fund this type of trust with cash or appreciated assets—and may qualify for a federal income tax charitable deduction when you itemize. You can also make additional gifts; each one also qualifies for a tax deduction. The trust pays you, each year, a variable amount based on a fixed percentage of the fair market value of the trust assets. When the trust terminates, the remaining principal goes to AWF as a lump sum.
You fund this trust with cash or appreciated assets—and may qualify for a federal income tax charitable deduction when you itemize. Each year the trust pays you or another named individual the same dollar amount you choose at the start. When the trust terminates, the remaining principal goes to AWF as a lump sum.
A beneficiary designation clearly identifies how specific assets will be distributed after your death.
A charitable gift annuity involves a simple contract between you and AWF where you agree to make a gift to AWF and we, in return, agree to pay you (and someone else, if you choose) a fixed amount each year for the rest of your life.
