The Nature Conservancy. Protecting nature. Preserving life.™

The Nature Conservancy accepts gifts of life insurance either as the beneficiary of a policy or as the sole owner and sole beneficiary. Either way, we can use these gifts to help us protect and preserve natural places around the world.

Designating the Conservancy as a Beneficiary of an Insurance Policy

You can name the Conservancy as primary beneficiary of your life insurance policy or as contingent beneficiary should your other beneficiaries not survive you. After your lifetime, the benefits from your policy pass to us free of federal estate tax.

Benefits

Personal Satisfaction - In completing your estate plan and providing for the people and charities that matter most to you.

• Easy to Give - Involves little effort or paperwork.
• Financial Advantage - Continued ownership of your policy.
• Freedom and Flexibility - You can change your mind and your beneficiaries at any time.
• Future Tax Savings - Removes the asset from your potential gross taxable estate.
• Leave a Legacy - Your gift will ensure our natural world will be protected for future generations.
• Changing your beneficiaries is easy. Simply contact your insurance carrier and request a beneficiary form.

How It Works

Years ago, Jason bought a life insurance policy to protect his family. His family no longer needs this protection and he decides to name the Conservancy as the beneficiary of the policy. After Jason's lifetime, the policy benefits will come to us to further our mission of saving critical lands and waters.

Making an Outright Gift of a Paid-up Insurance Policy

You can donate your paid-up life insurance policy to the Conservancy. If the policy has a cash value, we would have the option of either holding the policy until the maturity date or surrendering the policy in order to receive the policy's current cash value.

Benefits

• Income Tax Savings - Claim an income tax deduction.
• Future Tax Savings - Removes the asset from your potential gross taxable estate.
• Leave a Legacy - Your gift will ensure our natural world will be protected for future generations.

How It Works

Jane bought a life insurance policy years ago that she now wants to donate to the Conservancy. Since she gave the policy to us, Jane can claim an income tax charitable deduction. The total amount of the policy is removed from her estate, and we will use the gift to further our mission of saving critical lands and waters. 

A gift of life insurance is for you if ...

• You are a younger donor who wants to make a significant gift.

• Your estate probably won't have substantial assets to distribute to non-family members.

Important Reminders

DO:

It is important that you name The Nature Conservancy as the irrevocable owner of the policy and not just its beneficiary. If you retain ownership of the policy, the IRS will not allow you to deduct your premium payments, even though you are making them on our behalf.

WATCH OUT:

If you have borrowed against a life insurance policy, a gift of the policy with the loan still outstanding will create taxable income for you in the amount of the loan balance.

More Information about Gift Planning:

View all giving options and research the many planned gift possibilities.

Just beginning to plan your estate? Find helpful hints.

Find tips for retirement planning.

You can protect rivers and other natural places by making a planned gift with The Nature Conservancy. Contact us today.