How will you give what may be the most important gift of your lifetime, one that makes a meaningful difference for future generations of Minnesotans as well as imperiled habitats, plant, and animal species…forever?
Your legacy gift builds upon the long tradition of habitat and wildlife protection in Minnesota.
To learn more, discuss your options, and take the next steps towards securing your Minnesota conservation legacy, please contact Jennifer Scholl, Minnesota Land Trust Director of Development and Communications at 651-917-6289 or jscholl@mnland.org.
Kate Hartley—Local & Collective Impact
“I try to focus on where I can have an impact locally—whether that’s volunteering or donating. If we all do that, collectively, we can make a difference.” —Kate Hartley
Kate Hartley grew up in Duluth, MN, surrounded by the woods and water. That’s why, for her, conservation and restoration in the North Shore and St. Louis River Estuary are especially meaningful.
In fact, her first introduction to the Minnesota Land Trust was on an estuary boat tour a few years ago where she met Kris Larson, Minnesota Land Trust CEO, and Daryl Peterson, Director of Restoration Programs. Inspired by their devotion and passion for habitat restoration, including land and shoreline protection in the North Shore and throughout Minnesota, Kate has been a supporter ever since.
According to Kate, “The Minnesota Land Trust takes a holistic approach to environmental protection. They really get it—because while it’s important to preserve untouched habitats we also must restore polluted lands and shoreline to begin to make progress on bigger issues like climate change.” Kate has made environmental conservation and habitat restoration a central feature of her life’s work and legacy, and that includes the plans she’s made for her estate.
In addition to the Minnesota Land Trust, Kate supports land trusts in Wisconsin where she spends her summers, and South Carolina, where she resides during the winter months, and has volunteered over four thousand hours at nearby Congaree National Park in Hopkins, SC. According to Kate, “I do what I can and try to remember that no one person can solve all of this. I try to focus on where I can have an impact locally—whether that’s volunteering or donating. If we all do that, collectively, we can make a difference.”
Have You Already Included Us
in Your Estate Plans?
Please let us know so we can properly honor your intentions. Contact Jennifer Scholl, Minnesota Land Trust Director of Development and Communications.
651-917-6289 | jscholl@mnland.org
Ways to Leave Your Legacy
Ready to get started? Discuss your options and take the next steps towards securing your Minnesota conservation legacy by contacting Jennifer Scholl, Minnesota Land Trust Director of Development and Communications, at 651-917-6289 or jscholl@mnland.org.
Bequest
Designate a specific amount or percentage of your estate to go to the Minnesota Land Trust in your will. An estate is everything comprising the net worth of an individual, such as land and real estate, possessions, financial securities, cash, and other assets.
Land & Real Estate
Gifts of real estate may help further the mission of the Minnesota Land Trust to permanently preserve Minnesota’s most vital natural lands. If you would like to donate land or other real estate to the Minnesota Land Trust through your will, consider providing the flexibility to accept the property without restrictions. We invite you to discuss with us before you decide to gift land or real estate.
Life Estate
Life estate is shared ownership of property that is typically used to streamline the inheritance process and avoid probate. The land or property owner retains all the rights and responsibilities of ownership except the right to sell or mortgage the property without the co-owner’s (in this case, the Minnesota Land Trust’s) consent. The title of the property is eventually transferred to the Minnesota Land Trust as part of the legal process of administering the estate after the benefactor has departed.
Gifts of a Qualified Retirement Plan
Assets in qualified (tax-deferred) retirement plans may represent a large portion of your total assets and therefore may be an important factor in planning testamentary charitable gifts. Retirement assets generally considered suitable for charitable gifts include such plans as IRAs, Keoghs, SEPs, 401(k)s, 403(b)s, and ESOPs. Leaving a gift to the Minnesota Land Trust is as easy as listing us as a beneficiary on your policy.
If you intend to make both non-charitable and charitable gifts it generally makes sense to consider using your tax-deferred retirement plan assets for charity (the Minnesota Land Trust is a tax-exempt institution) and other assets for heirs.
Life Insurance Policies
Naming the Minnesota Land Trust as the beneficiary of an existing life insurance policy is a simple way to support conservation. As the policy owner, the value of the policy will be included in your estate. Other options include:
- Assigning an existing whole life policy to the Minnesota Land Trust, irrevocably making the Minnesota Land Trust the owner and beneficiary.
- Donating cash or the equivalent to the Minnesota Land Trust to pay the premiums each year if the policy is not paid up and additional premium payments are due.
- Purchasing a new policy naming the Minnesota Land Trust as owner and beneficiary, and pay the annual premiums (through the Minnesota Land Trust).
These options all may present a charitable tax deduction depending upon the current tax laws. Please consult with a professional tax advisor.
Donor Advised Fund (DAF)
A donor-advised fund is a private fund administered by a third party, created for the sole purpose of managing charitable giving. Naming the Minnesota Land Trust as a beneficiary on your DAF or creating a succession plan that includes the Minnesota Land Trust allows you to pass on remaining funds in your account to a cause you care about.
Want to Discuss Your Legacy Giving Options &
Take the Next Step?
Please contact Jennifer Scholl, Minnesota Land Trust Director of Development and Communications.
651-917-6289 | jscholl@mnland.org
Please note that this organization’s legal name is “Minnesota Land Trust.” The Minnesota Land Trust is a non-profit corporation, organized under section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code. Our federal identification number is 41-1713652.
The contents of this page are provided for informational purposes only and are not intended as a substitute for legal, tax, or financial planning advice. The Minnesota Land Trust urges you to consult a professional trained in handling trusts and estates when considering any of these planned giving options.
