BANNER PLACEHOLDER
Share this page → Bookmark and Share

Wills & Bequests

Planned Giving
Your Guide To Leaving Your Own Loving Legacy

Meet the members of HSSV’s Planned Giving Advisory Council

WHY YOU GIVE

Like most people, you want to give to the causes you care about, but you struggle between giving today and planning for your own needs in the future.  You share what you can today with HSSV because, as an animal-lover, you know that like you, we care about and effectively serve the animals in your community.

You may have family members and other heirs you first need and want to take care of in the future, when you no longer need your money. And you likely have a list of favorite charities and organizations — we hope HSSV is among them — with whom you wish to share your wealth as well. Fortunately, there are many choices for you to share with HSSV tomorrow and today, at any level, many of which you may not be aware.

Choosing What Is Most Important To YOU

It is likely there are one or two HSSV services that particularly touch you:

  • Perhaps it’s our Adoption Program, where we match an individual’s or family’s lifestyle with the perfect pet, enhancing many lives at once. 
  • Or maybe it’s our Education Programs, where we teach children to be caring and compassionate toward animals.
  • Or our Special Needs Department, which cares for shy, sick, and injured animals?
  • You may appreciate our low-cost Spay/Neuter Service, and our Trap-Neuter-Return program for feral cats in the community.
  • Or perhaps our Golden Pet Program, which finds homes for our mature pets, and provides a discount to seniors who adopt them.
  • Or you may simply prefer to support our day-to-day operational expenses, where your gift goes to the area most needed at the time to ensure our organization continues to run efficiently.

WHEN AND HOW YOU GIVE

Giving In The Future
In most cases, donors give most in their passing what they feel they’re not able to part with while alive. You can do the same, simply by naming HSSV as a beneficiary in your:

  • will or trust
  • life insurance policy
  • retirement  plan
  • real estate

In the case of your will or trust, you can designate a specific amount, or a percentage of your total estate. For life insurance, retirement plans, or real estate, you can simply name Humane Society Silicon Valley as owner and beneficiary (or partial beneficiary).

Donating your IRA or other retirement plan to HSSV might be the most cost-effective gift you can make, because you may avoid the possible double taxation on retirement plan assets left to your heirs.

Giving Today

You can also choose to share some assets today, while you’re alive and can have the wonderful opportunity to see how your gift is making a difference, while deepening your connection with HSSV. (A few side benefits are that you can add to your annual income, avoid capital gains taxes, and enjoy a tax deduction for the charitable contribution.) You can share your wealth this way, while enjoying the benefits above, by way of:

  • appreciated stock
  • charitable lead trusts
  • charitable remainder trusts
  • appreciated real estate

With an option called Retained Life Estates, you can give your personal residence to HSSV today and still maintain lifetime use of the property. We highly recommend you contact a financial planner, estate planning attorney, CPA, and/or tax advisor to decide which option is best for your particular financial situation.

To further discuss any ideas or plans for giving to HSSV, please call Bridget Keenan at 408-262-2133 ext. 133.

“Great things happen when we are engaged in something that we care about more than our own personal success.”
-- Unknown