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Beartooth Humane Alliance is the only animal welfare organization serving Carbon and Stillwater counties. Founded in 2006, our mission has always been to help our community help animals. Since we started, BHA has helped thousands of animals find forever homes, curbed overpopulation with our spay/neuter programs, and fed countless hungry pets. We’ve also taught lessons of kindness and compassion to hundreds of area schoolchildren. Each year, utilization of our services has increased.
BHA relies entirely on donations from supporters like you and a few small grants. We do not receive any municipal, state, or federal funding. Your planned gift will help BHA continue to serve our community and help animals long into the future.
We have established a planned giving account to provide the security needed to fund future operations. Our goal is to provide long term sustainability while recognizing the potential need for emergency funding and for events such as a natural disaster or large-scale rescue operation. Through sound fiscal management and strict oversight, BHA has an ample reserve fund to cover more typical daily emergencies and to ensure operations for one year. Now we are focused on the long-term future. Please let us know if you would like to discuss our commitment to fiscal responsibility. We aim for transparency in all that we do.
BHA is a 501(c)(3) federally recognized nonprofit. Should you decide to establish a legacy with BHA through planned giving, your gift may provide tax benefits, as determined by your accountant. And you’ll have the peace of mind that your dedication to the future of animals and your community will be honored. Planned giving provides opportunities for giving both now and after your lifetime.
After starting a conversation with us, you will also want to discuss your legacy giving ideas with your legal and financial advisors to ensure your plans benefit both the people and causes you care about in the most strategic way possible.
Start a conversation today with the BHA Founder and Executive Director, Diane Zook.
Will or Trust
When you prepare your will or revocable trust, you can designate a gift for BHA and know that you are taking care of those you love and supporting the causes that are important to you. Giving through your will or trust allows you to specify a dollar amount or a particular asset, and it allows you to donate either a percentage or remainder of your estate. Planned giving through your will or trust is flexible. If at any time your circumstances change and your gift to BHA may no longer be possible, you can change your mind at any time.
Benefits: Giving through your will or trust allows you to be creative and flexible with your assets at the end of your lifetime, and you will ensure that BHA will continue to support the animals you care about long into the future.
Let’s get together to discuss your priorities and giving options.
Retirement Assets
The unused portion of your pensions, retirement plans, or other financial accounts can provide care for animals long into the future. Gifts can come from a variety of sources, including 401(k), 403(b), or IRAs, appreciated stock, health savings accounts, donor advised funds, brokerage accounts and other financial accounts that allow transfer while living, on death or payment on death designations. Those may also include CDs, money market, savings, and checking accounts.
Benefits: A gift of your retirement assets is flexible and inexpensive and because BHA is a nonprofit, you will not pay income taxes or estate taxes on any donation of retirement assets transferred directly to BHA. You’ll also provide the stability BHA needs to serve our community and continue to help animals in the future.
Your financial advisor can counsel you on how you can designate BHA as a beneficiary. And we are always happy to discuss your ideas.
Life Insurance
Naming BHA as your primary life insurance beneficiary or as a contingent beneficiary is a simple and easy way to provide a future for animals after your lifetime. Donating a life insurance policy will provide a tax savings now and later for your heirs. After donating your life insurance policy to BHA, you continue to own your policy and premium payments on that policy may be tax deductible. And because BHA is a nonprofit, the benefits are free from estate taxes.
Benefits: A gift of life insurance is a simple transaction and does not impact your finances during your lifetime. It’s also flexible. At any time, you can change your mind and designate new beneficiaries. You can be sure BHA will care for animals long after your lifetime.
Your insurance provider can provide details, or you can discuss this idea with us. We’re happy to meet with you.
IRA Rollover
An IRA rollover is a direct contribution made from your traditional or Roth IRA. With the gift of an IRA rollover, you can donate to BHA without it counting as taxable income. If you are 70 and a half years old or older you can make a gift of up to $105,000 a year without the distribution counting as taxable income. This option is an advantage for people who do not normally itemize charitable donations, and it satisfies IRA required minimum distributions.
Benefits: It’s convenient and IRA charitable deductions are tax free up to $105,000 a year if you are 70 and a half years old or older. You can start legacy giving now and provide care for animals long into the future.
If you are interested in learning more about IRA charitable deductions, we would be happy to discuss this option with you and your financial advisor.
Stock Gifts
A gift of appreciated stocks, mutual funds, exchange-traded funds, or bonds will make a lasting impact and can save you money on taxes. When you donate stocks, mutual funds, or bonds, we sell them and use the proceeds to build BHA’s planned giving account. You may avoid paying capital gains tax and might also be eligible for an income tax deduction.
Benefits: Transferring appreciated securities to BHA will provide you with tax benefits, and your gift will have a lasting impact. You’ll be supporting our mission as we help our community help animals long into the future.
We’d be happy to confer with your financial advisor and you to discuss the gift of appreciated stocks, exchange-traded funds, mutual funds, and bonds.
You may also consider using your gift of appreciated stock, mutual funds, or bonds to set up an annuity and receive income for life. See the information below for more information on annuities.
Charitable Annuity
A charitable annuity is a creative way to help you meet your current and future financial goals and help animals at the same time. To set up an annuity, you may donate cash, appreciated securities (stocks, exchange-traded funds, mutual funds) or funds from your IRA once you are 70 and a half years old or older.
When you establish a charitable annuity, you will receive fixed monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, or annual payments for life, and an income tax deduction. And if you donate appreciated securities, you receive a capital gains tax savings as well. Additionally, gifts of annuities ensure your gift will not be impacted by a fluctuating stock market or unpredictable economy.
Benefits: A charitable annuity allows you to realize tax savings and secure your retirement with a reliable annual income. Your gift will help secure the future of BHA as we continue to help our community help animals.
Your financial advisor can guide you through the benefits of establishing an annuity to benefit BHA.
Charitable Giving Account
A charitable giving account allows you to contribute cash, securities or other assets to a donor advised fund. When you give through a charitable giving account, you are generally eligible to take an immediate tax deduction. Those funds can then be invested for tax-free growth, and you can recommend grants to any eligible IRS-qualified public charity annually or at the end of your lifetime.
Benefits: A charitable giving account allows you to start giving at any time in your life, and it comes with immediate tax benefits. You’ll have the additional benefit of providing long-term stability for BHA so we can care for animals long into the future.
This is a flexible investment and giving opportunity that we would be happy to discuss with your financial advisor and you.
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Learn more about our planning options and how you can create your legacy for animals.