Houston Zoo's Bequest Language
An excellent way for you to support our Houston Zoo's mission is to leave us a bequest in your will, living trust or with a codicil. With this simple action, your legacy will help care for our animals in the future and protect their wild counterparts.
There are a number of ways you can make a bequest to Houston Zoo.
In order to make a bequest, you should speak with your attorney. Your attorney can help you include a bequest to Houston Zoo in your estate plan. We have provided some basic bequest language to assist you and your attorney.
1. Specific Bequest
If you are considering making an outright bequest to Houston Zoo, we recommend the following language:
If you are considering making a bequest of a percentage of your estate to Houston Zoo, we recommend the following language:
If you are considering a bequest but would like to ensure that your bequest will be used for a specific purpose, please let us know. We would be happy to work with you and your attorney to help you identify ways to give and meet your charitable objectives. We will also work with you and your attorney to craft language to accomplish your goals.
If you are making a restricted bequest, we recommend that your attorney include the following provision to give Houston Zoo flexibility should it no longer be possible for Houston Zoo to use your gift as you originally intended:
Please contact us if you have any questions about how to make a bequest to Houston Zoo, or to request any additional information that might be helpful to you and your attorney as you consider making a bequest to us.
If you have included a bequest for Houston Zoo in your estate plan, please contact us to let us know. We would like to thank you and recognize you for your gift.
Types of Bequests
There are a number of ways you can make a bequest to Houston Zoo.
Specific Bequest. A specific bequest involves making a gift of a specific asset or a gift for a specific dollar amount.
Percentage Bequest. Another kind of specific bequest involves leaving a specific percentage of your overall estate to charity. For example, you may wish to leave 10% of your estate to Houston Zoo.
Residual Bequest. A residual bequest is made from the balance of an estate after the will or trust has given away each of the specific bequests. A common residual bequest involves leaving a percentage of the residue of the estate to charity. For example, you may wish to leave 30% of the residue of your estate to Houston Zoo.
Percentage Bequest. Another kind of specific bequest involves leaving a specific percentage of your overall estate to charity. For example, you may wish to leave 10% of your estate to Houston Zoo.
Residual Bequest. A residual bequest is made from the balance of an estate after the will or trust has given away each of the specific bequests. A common residual bequest involves leaving a percentage of the residue of the estate to charity. For example, you may wish to leave 30% of the residue of your estate to Houston Zoo.
Bequest Benefits
A bequest is generally a revocable gift, which means it can be changed or modified at any time.
You can choose to designate that a bequest be used for a general or specific purpose so you have the peace of mind knowing that your gift will be used as intended.
Bequests are exempt from federal estate taxes. If you have a taxable estate, the estate tax charitable deduction may offset or eliminate estate taxes, resulting in a larger inheritance for your heirs.
Bequest Language
In order to make a bequest, you should speak with your attorney. Your attorney can help you include a bequest to Houston Zoo in your estate plan. We have provided some basic bequest language to assist you and your attorney.
1. Specific Bequest
If you are considering making an outright bequest to Houston Zoo, we recommend the following language:
Bequest of a Specific Dollar Amount
I hereby give, devise and bequeath _________ and No/100 dollars ($DOLLARS) to Houston Zoo, Inc., a nonprofit organization located at 1513 Cambridge Street, Houston, TX, 77030, Federal Tax ID #____________, for Houston Zoo, Inc.'s general use and purpose.
2. Percentage BequestI hereby give, devise and bequeath _________ and No/100 dollars ($DOLLARS) to Houston Zoo, Inc., a nonprofit organization located at 1513 Cambridge Street, Houston, TX, 77030, Federal Tax ID #____________, for Houston Zoo, Inc.'s general use and purpose.
If you are considering making a bequest of a percentage of your estate to Houston Zoo, we recommend the following language:
I hereby give, devise and bequeath ____ percent (___%) of my total estate, determined as of the date of my death, to Houston Zoo, Inc., a nonprofit organization located at 1513 Cambridge Street, Houston, TX, 77030, Federal Tax ID #______________________, for Houston Zoo, Inc.'s general use and purpose.
3. Residual Bequest
I hereby give, devise and bequeath to Houston Zoo, Inc., a nonprofit organization located at 1513 Cambridge Street, Houston, TX, 77030, Federal Tax ID # _________, ALL OR A PERCENTAGE of the rest, residue and remainder of my estate to be used for Houston Zoo, Inc.'s general use and purpose.
Restricted Bequests
If you are considering a bequest but would like to ensure that your bequest will be used for a specific purpose, please let us know. We would be happy to work with you and your attorney to help you identify ways to give and meet your charitable objectives. We will also work with you and your attorney to craft language to accomplish your goals.
If you are making a restricted bequest, we recommend that your attorney include the following provision to give Houston Zoo flexibility should it no longer be possible for Houston Zoo to use your gift as you originally intended:
If, in the judgment of the Board of Directors of Houston Zoo, Inc., it shall become impossible for Houston Zoo, Inc. to use this bequest to accomplish the specific purposes of this bequest, Houston Zoo, Inc. may use the income and principal of this gift for such purpose or purposes as the Board determines is most closely related to the restricted purpose of my bequest.
Contact Us
Please contact us if you have any questions about how to make a bequest to Houston Zoo, or to request any additional information that might be helpful to you and your attorney as you consider making a bequest to us.
If you have included a bequest for Houston Zoo in your estate plan, please contact us to let us know. We would like to thank you and recognize you for your gift.
