A gift to CalTrout from your estate can insure the long-term success of our efforts to preserve wild and native trout, ensure that future generations of anglers will continue to enjoy our natural heritage, and provide you and your heirs with substantial benefits.

There are many ways that a gift to CalTrout of cash or assets (real estate, artwork, or partnership interests) can benefit you immediately and your heirs for years to come.

Potential benefits of these kinds of gifts include:

• Increased current income for the donor or others


• Reduced donor income tax


• Avoidance of capital gains tax


• Passing of assets to family at a reduced tax cost


• The ability to make a significant donation to a cause about which you feel passionate

With the assistance of a financial advisor, anyone can meet his or her charitable and financial goals.

Planned giving includes bequests, trusts, and contracts between a donor and a charity. Basic descriptions of the most popular types of these gifts follow.   For more information contact CalTrout Development Director, Melanie Hamburger at mhamburger@caltrout.org

Charitable Lead Trust - This trust makes payments, either a fixed amount (annuity trust) or a percentage of trust principal (unitrust), to a charity during its term. At the end of the trust term, the principal can either go back to you (a grantor lead trust) or to heirs named by you (a non-grantor lead trust). You may claim a charitable income tax deduction for funding a grantor lead trust or a charitable gift tax deduction for funding a non-grantor lead trust. Since lead trusts are typically used to pass assets to heirs, non-grantor lead trusts are far more common than grantor lead trusts.

Bequest - When you decide to leave assets to charity in your will, you are making a bequest. Your estate will receive a charitable estate tax deduction when the gift is made.

Gift Annuity - A gift annuity is a contract between a charity and yourself. In return for a donation of cash or other assets, the charity agrees to pay a fixed payment for life to you or to a friend or family member of your choosing. You also can claim a charitable tax deduction. If you fund a gift annuity with long-term capital gain property, you will have to report only some of the gain, and may be able to report it in installments over many years. Income from a gift annuity can be deferred for a period of years. Deferred gift annuities are often set up by younger donors to supplement retirement income.

Pooled Income Fund - The name describes this planned gift well--a charity accepts gifts from many donors into a fund and distributes the income of the fund to each donor or recipient of the donor's choosing. Each income recipient receives income in proportion to his or her share of the fund. After making a gift to a pooled fund, you receive a charitable income tax deduction and will not have to pay capital gains tax if the gift is of appreciated property. When an income beneficiary dies, the charity receives the donor's portion of the fund. CalTrout does not currently offer a pooled income fund arrangement, but we may in the future.

Charitable Remainder Trust- This trust makes payments, either a fixed amount (annuity trust) or a percentage of trust principal (unitrust), to whomever you choose to receive income. You may claim a charitable income tax deduction and may not have to pay any capital gains tax if the gift is of appreciated property. At the end of the trust term, the charity receives whatever amount is left in the trust.

Charitable remainder unitrusts provide some flexibility in the distribution of income, and thus can be helpful in retirement planning.

Charitable Lead Trust - This trust makes payments, either a fixed amount (annuity trust) or a percentage of trust principal (unitrust), to charity during its term. At the end of the trust term, the principal can either go back to you (a grantor lead trust) or to heirs named by you (a non-grantor lead trust). You may claim a charitable income tax deduction for funding a grantor lead trust or a charitable gift tax deduction for funding a non-grantor lead trust. Since lead trusts are typically used to pass assets to heirs, non-grantor lead trusts are far more common than grantor lead trusts.

Retained Life Estate - You may make a gift of your personal residence or farm to charity and retain the right to live there for the remainder of your life. You receive an immediate income tax deduction for the gift. At your death, the charity can use or sell the property.

This information is provided to give basic information about planned giving options. We recommend that you speak with your financial advisor to get specific advice about what choices you may make. If you do not have a financial advisor, we can provide a source of contacts for your review.   Please contact Melanie Hamburger, Development Director, at mhamburger@caltrout.org