Legacy

"I decided to leave my estate to the ACLU. The reason: its long track record of major accomplishments and its incredibly dedicated staff of attorneys and organizers."

Yes, I've already included the ACLU in my estate plans!

Your IRA, Keogh, 401(k), or 403(b) plan is a great way to provide for your retirement. It can also be a golden opportunity to advance the values that have been most important to you in your life.

You can play a personal role in advancing liberty, fairness, and equality by providing now for a future gift through your retirement account. For many people, this is the easiest and most effective way to make a meaningful charitable gift.

  • Make withdrawals from your retirement account as usual during your lifetime
  • Make a gift that becomes effective only when you and your spouse or partner no longer need the assets
  • Donate all or a percentage of the balance of your account

Here’s how:

  1. Request a beneficiary designation form from the financial institution that manages your account. The form can often be found on their web site.
  2. Complete the form using the below information.
    American Civil Liberties Union, Inc.
    125 Broad Street, 18th Floor
    New York, NY 10004-2400
    Tax ID# (enter if asked for a social security #): 13-3871360
    Phone: 877-867-1025
  3. Complete the Confidential Bequest Intention Form to notify us of your plans and qualify for lifetime membership in the DeSilver Legacy Society.

If you need to provide for a spouse, name your spouse as "primary beneficiary", and the ACLU as "secondary beneficiary". The ACLU will receive a gift only if your spouse does not survive you. When the surviving spouse rolls over the IRA to their own name, please also consider designating the ACLU as a beneficiary at that time.

If you expect to have a taxable estate (currently $27.98 million for a married couple for federal estate tax) you may want to support the ACLU with a tax-deductible provision for the ACLU Foundation.

You can also use a beneficiary designation with:

  • A life insurance policy
  • Employer-provided life insurance
  • A bank or brokerage account eligible for "pay on death" or "transfer on death"
  • A donor advised fund or "charitable gift fund" account

Take the next step:

Confidential Bequest Intention Form (Printable PDF)
Confidential Bequest Intention Form (Secure online form)
Request Information
Contact Us

Please note: This information is not intended as tax or legal advice. We recommend that you consult with your legal and financial advisors to learn how a gift would work in your circumstances. Laws and regulations governing all gifts and availability of certain life income gifts vary by state.
Gifts Through Your Will
Gifts Through Your Retirement Plan Or Life Insurance
Charitable Gift Annuities