This is one of the simplest and most common ways to make a lasting impact. You can leave a gift in a variety of ways, including:

• A percentage of your estate
• A specific dollar amount
• The remainder after your loved ones are provided for

As always, please consult your legal advisor to ensure it aligns with your personal wishes and circumstances. Giving through your will is easy, flexible, and costs nothing now. It allows you to retain full control of your assets while making a meaningful future contribution.

Here is sample language for how you can include IPA in your will or trust:

Bequest
“I bequeath _____% of my estate (or the sum of $____) to Innovations for Poverty Action, a registered 501(c)(3) exempt nonprofit organization in the USA (EIN 06-1660068) or its successor organization, for its general charitable purposes. Please contact plannedgiving@poverty-action.org in order to process this request.”

Residuary Gift
“I bequeath all the rest, residue, and remainder of my property, both real and personal, to Innovations for Poverty Action, a registered 501(c)(3) exempt nonprofit organization in the USA (EIN 06-1660068) or its successor organization, for its general charitable purposes. Please contact plannedgiving@poverty-action.org in order to process this request.”

Contingent Gift
If you wish to leave a gift to IPA only if your primary beneficiaries are no longer living:
“In the event that [name(s) of primary beneficiary/beneficiaries] shall not survive me, I bequeath [describe gift] to Innovations for Poverty Action, a registered 501(c)(3) exempt nonprofit organization in the USA (EIN 06-1660068) or its successor organization, for its general charitable purposes. Please contact plannedgiving@poverty-action.org in order to process this request.”

You can name IPA as a beneficiary of various accounts and policies by simply updating your beneficiary designation form. It takes only minutes and costs nothing now. You can include IPA as a full or partial beneficiary of:

Retirement plans (IRA, 401(k), 403(b)): Including a charity as a beneficiary on your retirement plan ensures that the gift remains tax-free and reduces the tax burden on your beneficiaries. Your plan administrator can help you include IPA as a beneficiary on your plan. 

Bank and brokerage accounts: You can name IPA as a "payable on death" (POD) or "transfer on death" (TOD) beneficiary on checking, savings, certificates of deposits, or other investment accounts. Your bank or advisor can help you complete this simple process.

Donor-Advised Funds (DAFs): A donor-advised fund (DAF) is a strategy for making charitable contributions that occur in the present for distribution in the future, often beyond a single tax year, and can also be integrated into estate planning to benefit heirs. DAFs are a growing tool in planned giving because of their flexibility and tax advantages, allowing donors to make immediate contributions and receive tax deductions, while then recommending distributions over time or even after their lifetime. You can name IPA as a beneficiary of your DAF, or designate a portion of the account to us, allowing your family to continue your philanthropic legacy. Your plan administrator can help you include IPA as a beneficiary on your plan. 

Life insurance: If you have a life insurance policy, you can name IPA as a beneficiary, or transfer ownership of a fully paid policy and potentially receive a tax deduction. Please consult with your plan administrator for help about how to include IPA as a beneficiary on your plan.

If you’re 70½ or older, you can make a tax-free, Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) from your IRA. These gifts:

• Can count toward your Required Minimum Distribution (RMD)
• Are excluded from taxable income
• Must be transferred directly from your IRA to IPA