THE FOUR P's OF ESTATE PLANNING

Persons. Who are the people and charitable interests for whom you would like to provide?

Property. List all of your property, in whatever form, along with its cost and today's value.

Plans. Consider how you would like to match your property with the people in your life.

Planners. List all professional advisors who would assist you in making your plans a reality.

Please remember, donations to the Endowment Fund offer extraordinary tax benefits to the donors. Consult your professional advisor for details on how your assets can be used to the advantage of yourself, your heirs and to Waterfowl USA's conservation efforts.

CASH GIFTS

Gifts of cash are the easiest and most convenient way to contribute. If you itemize, you can lower your income taxes simply by writing a check to the Waterfowl USA Endowment Fund. Gifts of cash are fully deductible-up to a maximum of 50% of your adjusted gross income. For example, if your adjusted gross income for this year is $50,000, up to $25,000 of cash gifts may be deducted this year. Any excess deductions can generally be carried forward and used over as many as five subsequent years.

WILLS AND BEQUESTS

By leaving a gift in your will to the WUSA Endowment Fund for use at our discretion, or to benefit a specific program of your choice, you leave a legacy that will have an impact for many, many years to come.

Why should you have a will?

This legally binding document spells out who will receive your assets and exactly how much they will receive, upon your death. Estate planning can assist you in the process of determining how your will is to be written.

You may want to include the WUSA Endowment Fund in your will. Any gift you leave to the Fund can be used specifically according to your written wishes. You may want to establish a personalized Endowment Fund named for your family. An example of this would be The John J. Jones Family Endowment Fund. The Endowment Fund is funded with the proceeds left in the will.

Money given to the Endowment Fund through a will can be 100% free of federal estate taxes. These taxes can be as high as 55%, depending on the amount of assets in the estate.

Below are some examples of wording that could be in your will:

1. Outright bequests, unrestricted as to purpose.

I give and bequeath to The WUSA Endowment Fund, a nonprofit corporation duly existing under the laws of the state of South Carolina and located at Edgefield, South Carolina, $____________________ dollars (or property, securities, etc., as described below), to be used as the Board of Trustees of The Waterfowl USA Endowment Fund may direct.

2. Outright bequest to establish a personalized Endowment Fund with income to be (a) unrestricted or (b) restricted.

I give and bequeath to The WUSA Endowment Fund, a nonprofit corporation duly existing under the laws of the State of South Carolina and located at Edgefield, South Carolina, $___________________ dollars (or property, securities, etc., as described below), to constitute the (name of endowment) Fund. This Fund shall be invested by the Board of Trustees of The Waterfowl USA Endowment Fund and the annual income therefrom shall be utilized. (a) as the Board may direct, or  (b) for (description of restricted purpose specified by testator ( i.e., chapter development, membership support, general operating support, capital improvements, etc.).

The Fund, for purposes of investment, may be combined with other funds of The WUSA Endowment Fund.

3. Bequest of residuary estate.

"All the rest, residue, and remainder of my estate, both real and personal property of whatever kind and wheresoever situated, which I may own or have the right to dispose of at the time of my decease, I give, devise, and bequeath The Waterfowl USA Endowment Fund, a nonprofit corporation duly existing under the laws of the state of South Carolina and located at Edgefield, South Carolina, to be used as the Board of Trustees of The Waterfowl USA Endowment Fund may direct."

APPRECIATED SECURITIES

It is often more tax-wise to contribute stock than cash to the Waterfowl USA Endowment Fund. Gifts of appreciated stock can offer the equivalent of a triple tax deduction. First, you receive an income tax deduction for the full fair market value of the stock at the time of the gift. Second, you avoid paying any capital gains tax when you transfer the stock to the WUSA Endowment Fund. And third, the stock is removed from your estate, which is equal to a full estate tax deduction. Gifts of appreciated stock are 100% income tax deductible -- usable up to 30% of your adjusted gross income for the first year with the balance deduction carried forward for five additional years.

GIFTS OF REAL ESTATE

A gift of real estate to the Waterfowl USA Endowment Fund can also be tax-wise. Similar to a gift of appreciated stock, real estate also offers the above-described three-fold tax savings. First, you receive an income tax deduction for the full fair market value of the real estate at the time of the gift. Second, you avoid paying any capital gains tax when you transfer the real estate to the WUSA Endowment Fund. And third, you reduce your estate and save estate taxes.

GIFTS OF LIFE INSURANCE

Some of our supporters no longer need all of the life insurance that was purchased years ago to provide for beneficiaries. If that is your situation, please consider donating a policy or part of a policy to the WUSA Endowment Fund. You can claim a tax deduction for the policy's approximate cash surrender value, and the proceeds are removed from your estate.