By including the National Council on Aging in your long-term plans, you will help to ensure that America’s older adults have the opportunity to age well. There are several approaches to planning the best gift for your situation and way of life. 

A Gift in Your Will or Living Trust 

Many individuals choose to leave a legacy gift to NCOA through their will or trust, so they can ensure that future generations of older adults have access to programs and resources. A bequest is the simplest type of planned gift and one of the easiest to implement. 

How It Works: 

1. Identify NCOA as one of your beneficiaries and designate a percentage of your estate or a specific dollar amount to NCOA. You can do this when creating your will or trust or by amending your existing one. 
2. Inform NCOA of your plans. Doing so helps us ensure we can fulfill your wishes for your future gift. We will not pry into your personal details. 
3. NCOA receives your gift after your lifetime and uses it to ensure programs and educational resources are available for the next generation of older adults.  

Options to Get Started:

• NCOA partners with FreeWill to provide a free and easy-to-use tool to write your will today. Most people finish in 20 minutes or less—completing a full will or starting a plan before seeing an attorney. Start writing your will at no cost to you. 
• Update your existing will or estate plan using this sample language to add  your bequest to NCOA: I give and bequeath _______________ (dollar amount, percentage of residuary estate, specific asset, etc.) to the National Council on Aging (Federal Tax I.D. 13-1932384), 251 18th Street South, Suite 500, Arlington, VA 22202. 

Your gift is fully deductible for federal estate tax purposes, and there is no limit on the deduction your estate can claim. Many gifts are also exempt from state inheritance taxes. 

This information is not intended as legal, tax or other professional advice. For such advice, consult an attorney or the services of a qualified professional. References to tax rates include federal taxes only and are subject to change. State law may further impact your individual results. 

NCOA is a nonprofit, tax-exempt charitable organization (tax identification number 13-1932384) under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Donations are 100% tax-deductible as allowed by law. 

Name NCOA a Beneficiary of Your Retirement Plan 

Many individuals choose to name NCOA as a beneficiary of their 401(k), IRA, 403(b), or other qualified retirement plan, ensuring NCOA can continue to deliver resources, tools, and advocacy that our nation needs to ensure that every person can age with health and financial security. 

How It Works: 

1. Designate a percentage of your retirement account to NCOA. You can do this via your plan’s website or by contacting your provider directly. 
2. Tell us about your gift by emailing donorservices@ncoa.org. Doing so helps us ensure we can fulfill your wishes for your future gift. We will not pry into your personal details. 
3. NCOA receives your gift after your lifetime and uses it to ensure programs and educational resources are available for the next generation of older adults.  

Your gift is fully deductible for federal estate tax purposes, and there is no limit on the deduction your estate can claim. Many gifts are also exempt from state inheritance taxes. 

Name NCOA a Beneficiary of Your Life Insurance Policy

Many individuals choose to name NCOA as a beneficiary of their life insurance policy, or to transfer ownership of their policy irrevocably to NCOA. In doing so, they ensure the next generation can benefit from NCOA programs and educational resources long after their own lifetimes. You can, too, by adding NCOA as one of your beneficiaries. 

How It Works: 

Option 1 : Designate a percentage of your life insurance to NCOA

You can do this via your plan’s website or by contacting your provider directly. Designating NCOA as a full or partial beneficiary of your life insurance costs you nothing today and may take as little as five minutes of your time to complete. 

To designate NCOA, go to your life insurance policy website and look for "Beneficiary Designations." You may also call your policy provider to request a physical copy of the beneficiary designation form. Then, add the National Council on Aging as either the primary or contingent beneficiary of your policy. Finally, add a percentage amount between 1% and 100%. The percentage amount you choose is the percentage of your policy NCOA will receive in the future. 

Choose Primary Beneficiary if you want to support NCOA no matter what. Choose Contingent Beneficiary if you want your policy to support NCOA only if your primary beneficiaries (such as your spouse or children) do not survive you 

Option 2: Donate your policy

Irrevocably transfer ownership of your life insurance policy to NCOA, which may provide you with tax benefits. Donating and irrevocably transferring ownership of your life insurance policy to NCOA allows you to make a significant gift in your lifetime that does not impact your current finances. This may provide you with tax benefits during the year you donate your policy. 

Your gift is fully deductible for federal estate tax purposes, and there is no limit on the deduction your estate can claim. Many gifts are also exempt from state inheritance taxes. 

Include NCOA in Donor Advised Fund Succession Plan

You can support the aging community by directing gifts to the National Council on Aging through your Donor Advised Fund. The DAFDirect widget below will link your DAF from Fidelity Charitable, Schwab Charitable, or BNY Mellon. 

DAFs are a convenient way to simplify your charitable giving to NCOA. DAFs are the fastest-growing giving method and a tax-efficient way to manage your charitable donations. They allow donors to make a contribution and receive an immediate tax deduction.