Legacy giving
Wills, bequests, and estates
Cherryland Humane Society is a 501(c)3, no kill charitable organization; EIN 38-1603061.
You can make a lasting impact for the animals in our community by including Cherryland Humane Society in your planned giving. Planned giving opportunities include a number of options. Scroll through to learn more.
Why making a legacy gift makes a difference for the future of pets in our community…
Unfortunately, there will always be abandoned, homeless, cold, hungry, and scared pets out there. There will be hoarding cases of malnourished, poorly cared for animals in our community. There will be influxes of kittens in the spring. There will be stray pets in our neighborhoods scared and looking for help…
Fortunately, with your help, we will always be here to provide a safe harbor for the animals entrusted to us as we strive to find them responsible, loving and permanent homes while educating the public about humane values.
With your help within the past few years we have transitioned to a no-kill shelter, we have paid off our very large mortgage, we have been able to hire more talented and passionate staff, we have upgraded our animal kennels, and not to mention found loving homes for over 4,000 pets!
With your help we have been able to expand our programs and incorporate more enrichment to help care for not only the physical health of the animals but the emotional and mental wellbeing of the pets entrusted to us as well. We have been able to care for any sick or injured animal that have come through our door through our emergency vet fund. We have been able to offer new partnered behavior training programs to help our more behaviorally challenged pups.
We have been able to accomplish all of our work thanks to your generous annual contributions, which never cease to amaze and motivate us.
In case you were curious, legacy gifts bring a different kind of support compared to the much-valued annual donations: While annual gifts sustain our current operations and animal welfare initiatives on an annual basis, legacy gifts play a pivotal role in advancing our mission over the long term, ensuring financial security to uphold our commitment of providing ongoing care and support for our beloved animal companions.
Donation options
Bequests -
Begin your legacy with us
You can help us care for homeless animals by including Cherryland Humane Society as a beneficiary in your will or living trust. To help you get started on your plans and legacy, you can use FreeWill, an online tool that guides you through the process of creating a legally valid will or trust. It’s easy to use, accessible online and can be completed in 20 minutes. You can use this resource on its own to document your wishes before finalizing your plans with an attorney. You will be supporting Cherryland Humane Society in its mission to provide homeless animals with a safe harbor until they are placed in forever homes.
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Have you already included a gift in your will or trust? Please fill out this form to let us know! Click HERE for the link. We would love to thank you for your generosity!
Beneficiaries - Non probate assets
If you have assets such as an IRA, 401(k), life-insurance policy, or any other items not specified in your will, they are known as non-probate assets. It is crucial to arrange beneficiaries for these separately from your will. Take the necessary steps to establish your beneficiaries for these assets by visiting FreeWill and reaching out to your financial institution or insurance provider. Consider designating Cherryland Humane Society as a beneficiary for one or more of these assets to support our mission in the long run.
If you have reached age 70 1/2, you may make up to $100,000 per calendar year in gifts to charity paid directly from your IRA. Such gifts made directly to charitable organizations count toward the required minimum distributions you must take annually from your traditional IRA. These charitable contributions are not included in taxable income or itemized charitable deductions on your federal income tax return. Often, this will result in personal income tax savings compared to taking a distribution from your traditional IRA then contributing it to a charitable organization.
Your IRA custodian can provide details of making Charitable IRA Rollovers. For information regarding any income tax benefit, please consult an income tax professional.
Charitable IRA Rollover
If you hold appreciated stocks and wish to make a charitable contribution, you may save income taxes on taxable gains by donating stock directly to Cherryland Humane Society instead of selling the security and making a charitable contribution with the proceeds. Consultation with your tax advisor is recommended. Please contact Cherryland Humane Society at rjurik@cherrylandhumane.org or call (231) 946-5116, Ext. 106 for transfer information.