Library
American Museum of Natural History

Trusts: Choose From Two Ways to Donate

Uncover the Option That Matches Your Goal

What if you could support the American Museum of Natural History and our work, provide for your heirs, and reduce your taxes with one gift? With charitable trusts, you can do all of it. This guide offers helpful information on two popular types of charitable trusts.


There are two types of charitable trusts a charitable remainder trust and a charitable lead trust. Both types of trusts split the assets between a charitable and non-charitable beneficiary. The main difference between a charitable remainder trust and a charitable lead trust is when the American Museum of Natural History receives your gift.

Remainder trust:  the Museum receives the remainder after your lifetime or a term of years.

Lead trust:  the Museum receives the gift first, with the remainder going to individuals you choose.

The following few pages have detailed information on both types of trusts. Keep reading to uncover which type may be right for you.

Trusts

Receive Income for Life or a Term of Years

With a charitable remainder trust, you receive a stream of income for your lifetime or a set term of up to 20 years. The income may be greater than what the assets currently yield. If you wish, your spouse or another individual can receive an income from the trust after your lifetime. At the end of the trust term, the remaining balance goes to the American Museum of Natural History.

Use this chart to help you choose from two basic types of charitable remainder trusts.

Charitable Remainder Unitrust or Annuity Trust:
Which Is Best for You?
Gift Plan Charitable Remainder Annuity Trust Charitable Remainder Unitrust
Payments You receive fixed income for life or a term of years You receive variable income (based on the trust’s value each year) for life or a term of years
Donor Profile
  • Owns highly appreciated, low-yielding, or low-basis assets
  • Seeks additional fixed income and diversification of assets
  • Owns highly appreciated, low-yielding, or low-basis assets
  • Seeks additional income and diversification of assets
  • Likes the flexibility of adding additional assets over time
  • Wants to retain the power to add or remove charitable beneficiaries
Features
  • Fixed income
  • Income tax deduction
  • No up-front capital gains tax on transfer of assets
  • Significant gift to us in the future
  • Variable income
  • Income tax deduction
  • No up-front capital gains tax on transfer of assets
  • Allows additional gifts
  • Significant gift to us in the future
Funding Cash or securities, typically $100,000 or more Cash, securities, or other assets, typically $100,000 or more
Trusts

Reduce Taxes and Give to Your Heirs

With a charitable lead trust you transfer cash or assets, which are appreciating in value, into a trust with the intention of supporting the Museum first, then returning the remaining assets to your family.

The major benefit of creating a lead trust is in transferring assets to family members at very little gift or estate tax costs. You could potentially pay a relatively small gift tax for eventually transferring a large amount of assets to your children. This type of gift provides you with a gift tax deduction, not an income tax deduction. But, if you are looking for an income tax deduction, a grantor charitable lead trust may be a better option for you. In this case, the trust assets are returned to you after the trust term ends. Check with your professional advisor to determine which type of trust is best for you.

Types of Payments
The trustee makes payments from the trust to the selected charity or charities as either a fixed annuity payment or a percentage of the trust.

An annuity payment: With this type of payment, the Museum receives the same amount annually whether trust assets appreciate or depreciate. If the trust income is insufficient, the trustee uses principal to make up the difference.

A unitrust payment: With this option, we receive a variable amount based on a specified percentage of the fair market value of the trust assets, valued annually. You set the percentage upon creating the trust. The payments fluctuate with trust appreciation or depreciation. If the trust income is insufficient, the trustee uses principal to make up the difference.

Trusts

Next Steps

We are here to help you. Contact us with any questions you have about creating a trust that benefits you and the American Museum of Natural History.

American Museum of Natural History
John Matthews,
Director, Planned Giving

Phone: 212-769-5119
Email: jmatthews@amnh.org
200 Central Park West
New York, NY 10024

Meet the team

Trusts: Choose From Two Ways to Donate

Let us know your questions.

I Have a Question

Name is required
Please include an '@' in the email address

Thank You for Contacting Us

Someone from the American Museum of Natural History will be in contact with you soon. If you need to speak to us immediately, please call us at 212-769-5119.