Gifts by Beneficiary Designation

You can name the ACLU as a beneficiary of retirement accounts, life insurance policies, bank or brokerage accounts, or other financial accounts. These gifts bypass probate and can easily be updated at any time.

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.

Retirement plan assets do not pass through your will — they are distributed through a beneficiary designation, and updating your beneficiary designation forms is simple and easy:

• You name the ACLU as the beneficiary of all or some percentage of a qualifying retirement plan through a beneficiary designation form. After your lifetime, the funds pass to the ACLU, tax-free, and to any other named heirs.
• You can change or update your beneficiary designations at any time if your needs or goals change.
• You can also name the ACLU a contingent beneficiary, so that we only receive a gift if primary beneficiaries are not able to receive the assets.

Important Information:

• Use our official designation and address on your form:
  American Civil Liberties Union
  125 Broad Street, 18th Floor
  New York, NY 10004
  Phone: 877-867-1025
  Include the ACLU Tax ID number if the form requests a social security or tax ID number: #13-3871360.

• If you expect to have taxable estate, consult with your financial advisor as you may want to leave your gift to the ACLU Foundation, which is tax-deductible.

Please send us a copy of your beneficiary form, or as much information as you are comfortable sharing. Many financial services firms will not notify us of your gift and we will need this information to ensure your wishes are carried out.

You can also name the ACLU as a beneficiary of your:

• A life insurance policy
• A bank or brokerage account eligible for “pay on death” or “transfer on death”
• A donor advised fund or “charitable gift fund” account