Legacy Society

Leave a legacy of supporting rigorous, independent economic research that will inform environmental and economic policies and safeguard our planet for years to come.

Leave a Lasting Impact

RFF’s Legacy Society recognizes individuals who have made a profound and lasting impact on our mission by including RFF in their estate plans. RFF’s Legacy Society members share a desire for better environmental decisionmaking and a commitment to ensuring that future generations inherit both a healthy environment and thriving economy. By supporting RFF through your estate or other planned gift, you are joining a special group of people who share your same goals and passions.

Choosing to make a planned gift is a powerful way to preserve your legacy of support for Resources for the Future and our mission. Planned gifts can help you meet your personal, financial, and estate planning goals while supporting our work—both today and for generations to come.

There are many ways to make a planned gift to Resources for the Future. Our team can discuss different options with you and your financial advisor to craft the gift that best suits your goals.

If you have named RFF in your estate plans, please let us know! Notifying us of your plans will enable us to recognize and celebrate your commitment through our Legacy Society. However, if you prefer to remain anonymous, we will keep your name and gift in strict confidence.

To record your existing commitment or make a new commitment, you may fill out this form.

Craft Your Legacy

1. Including RFF in Your Will

By listing RFF as a beneficiary in your will, you can preserve your legacy of support well past your lifetime. This option provides you with flexibility to make changes to your bequest plans over the course of your lifetime. Disbursements are not subject to federal estate taxes, ensuring that your contributions have the greatest impact possible.

2. Listing RFF as a Beneficiary

Including RFF as a beneficiary of retirement accounts like IRAs and other qualified plans, donor-advised funds, insurance products, and bank and brokerage accounts is generally simpler and requires less expense than revising your will to include RFF.

3. Charitable Gift Annuities

With a charitable gift annuity, you can make a major gift of cash, securities, or other property to RFF today and elect to receive fixed payments for the remainder of your life—either immediately or in the future (deferred). Your initial gift provides us with generous, upfront support, and the payments you receive for life can be favorably taxed.

4. Charitable Remainder Trusts

Similarly to Charitable Gift Annuities, a Charitable Remainder Trust is set up with an initial gift of cash, securities, or other property. Over the course of your lifetime, you can direct payments to other beneficiaries, like other charities, or yourself. Upon your passing, the remainder of the trust will be distributed to RFF.

5. Gifts from Retirement Plans

Giving from your retirement is an easy and tax-advantageous way to give during your lifetime. After taking a distribution from your retirement plan or IRA, you can gift your distribution to RFF and receive an offsetting charitable deduction. If you are 70 ½ or older, you can instruct your plan to automatically transfer your mandated distribution to RFF—reducing your gross income and tax liability.

And More

In addition to these methods, RFF can also explore lead trusts, estate notes, and the gifting of other securities and assets with you and your financial planner.

Benefits of Giving

Donors who make future plans to support RFF are members of our Legacy Society and receive immediate benefits, regardless of planned gift type. These benefits include monthly invitations to private briefings with RFF’s Board, executive leadership, and senior research staff; invitations to receptions and events across the United States; and recognition on our website and in our annual report.

For more information about making a planned gift to RFF, please contact Ryan Sabot, Director of Individual Engagement, at [email protected]

This information is not intended as legal or tax advice. For such advice, please consult an attorney, financial planner, or tax advisor.