Planned Giving FAQ
What is planned giving?
Planned giving means you have committed to giving a charitable contribution at a future date.
What is estate planning?
Anyone with a family or assets can benefit from an estate plan. Having an estate plan can help you specify how your assets should be distributed, provide financially for family members, and protect your loved ones from undue tax burdens.
You may also use your estate plan to leave a charitable bequest. The most common type of planned gift, bequests, are allocated through a will or trust and granted when the will or trust is executed.
What are the benefits of making a planned gift?
- Live your values: Making a planned gift to Everytown for Gun Safety shows your commitment to creating a safer future for generations to come.
- Take care of your loved ones: You can support the causes you care about while ensuring your loved ones remain the focus of your planned giving.
- Make a big impact: Whether you choose to give a fixed amount or a percentage of assets, even a small legacy gift can make an extraordinary impact.
- Choose a flexible giving option: If your circumstances change during your lifetime, you can modify your planned gift.
- Take advantage of tax laws: Depending on the type of gift, you may see significant tax benefits, which allow you to leave more for your beneficiaries.
What type of planned gift can I make to benefit Everytown?
- Charitable bequest
- Transfer of stocks, bonds, or other securities
- Retirement plan beneficiary
- Qualified charitable distribution from an IRA
For more information on each of these options, please visit our Planned Giving Options page.
How does my planned gift support ending gun violence?
Your planned gift will go toward Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund, the education, research, and litigation arm of Everytown for Gun Safety. Your gift will help us prevent gun violence by supporting critical work such as:
- Conducting groundbreaking independent research on gun violence
- Developing evidence-based policies that save lives
- Holding the gun industry accountable in the courts
- Promoting gun safety in homes, schools, and communities
- Supporting survivors of gun violence
When deciding how to plan your legacy, we understand that tax consequences are a consideration. As a 501(c)(3) organization, contributions to Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law. For additional financial and regulatory information, please read more about charitable solicitation disclosures here.
Upon request, donors may choose to leave a planned gift to Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund, a 501(c)(4) organization. Donations to Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund are not tax-deductible. To request more information about pledging a planned gift to Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund, please email [email protected].
I don’t yet have an estate plan. How do I get started?
- Get a clear picture of your assets: This includes bank accounts, stocks and bonds, retirement funds, property, and other assets.
- Think about your legacy: Decide how you would like to provide for the people and causes that matter most to you.
- Choose an executor or trustee: Choose someone you trust to execute your wishes.
- Create or update your estate plan: You may choose to work with a professional or set up a will or trust yourself. See below for more information on each option.
Working with a Professional
If you are working with an advisor or professional on creating or updating an estate plan, please visit our page for professional advisors, executors, and trustees for more information.
Self-Guided Planning
Everytown partners with Giving Docs, a private, secure online platform that provides a full suite of estate planning tools where you can plan your legacy. Giving Docs can help you start your will, update an existing will, designate beneficiaries, and more.
What is Giving Docs, and how do I use this free service?
Everytown for Gun Safety has partnered with Giving Docs, an easy-to-use platform that allows you to write your will and other essential documents for free. It’s your simple, secure way to ensure your loved ones are protected and your wishes are honored.
Creating your will takes just four simple steps:
- Visit GivingDocs.com/EverytownSupportFund to create your free account.
- Follow the step-by-step instructions to create your will and other legacy plans.
- Review and print your will and other documents.
- Follow the instructions to make your plans legal.
Whether or not you include a gift to Everytown in your plans, this tool is available to you at no cost. If you do choose to leave a gift, let us know so we can welcome you into our Legacy Society to End Gun Violence.
I have included Everytown as a beneficiary of my will or other planned gift. What next?
If you have already pledged a planned gift to Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund, please let us know so we can thank you and welcome you into the Legacy Society to End Gun Violence.
As a Legacy Society member, you will receive a monthly newsletter with updates on how supporters like you are fueling our fight to end gun violence.
I have more questions. Who can I contact?
Our team is here to help. If you have questions about your options or how to make a planned gift, please contact [email protected].