Planned Giving

Planned giving is a way to make a significant, long-term commitment to the movement for LGBTQ equality by making a charitable gift to MassEquality in your estate planning. We may not know exactly what lies in the decades to come for our community – but we do know that MassEquality will continue to champion our rights, advocating for equality at the frontiers of the movement and protecting the freedoms we have already won. By making a lifetime or testamentary gift to MassEquality, you ensure that we have the resources we need to fight the next generation’s battles for equality and progress. In a very real sense, you are leaving a legacy of equality.

Planned giving can take a number of forms. Making a decision of this magnitude is a very serious process, and you should consult with your legal or financial advisers as you navigate it.

The most common form of planned gift is a bequest, by which you designate a charity to receive a specific percentage of your assets, a dollar amount, or a specific piece of property in your will or living trust. Bequests allow for flexibility and specificity. For example, a residuary bequest allows you to leave a remainder of your estate to MassEquality after all gifts to other beneficiaries. Similarly, a contingent bequest allows you to stipulate that MassEquality would receive a gift only when certain conditions have been met (e.g., MassEquality receives your contribution only if your partner predeceases you).

Beyond bequests, there exists a wide range of ways to ensure your legacy includes combatting homophobia and transphobia with us. For example, you can name MassEquality as the beneficiary of a portion of your retirement fund or a beneficiary/contingent beneficiary of a portion of the proceeds of a life insurance policy. Other options include a charitable remainder trust or life income gift. You should discuss which option is right for you with your attorney or other advisers.

We deeply appreciate your considering making MassEquality part of your legacy, and we hope to honor that legacy by continuing to lead the fight for equality in the decades to come.