How It Works
Option 1: Give your policy to Robin Hood
When Robin Hood becomes the owner of your policy, we can cash it in and use the proceeds to fuel our work. Alternatively, if you continue to pay the premiums, we could maintain the policy until it ends and then receive the full death benefit amount. In addition to the satisfaction of making a generous gift to Robin Hood with no immediate cost, you will receive an immediate income tax charitable deduction for the value of your policy (or the total premiums you have paid, whichever is less) and an additional income tax deduction if you continue to pay premiums.
In order to make your gift, you must assign Robin Hood all ownership rights to your policy and make Robin Hood the irrevocable designated beneficiary of the policy.
The life protected by the policy is still yours, but we (the charity) would then own the policy and get all beneficiary rights.
This can be easily accomplished by completing a simple form from your insurance company. Be sure to identify us as: Robin Hood Foundation, 826 Broadway, 9th Floor, New York, NY 10003, Federal Tax Identification Number: 13-3441066.
Example
Geraldine Payne bought a $250,000 life insurance policy on her own life shortly after the birth of the first of her four children. Her children are now in their 40s and 50s and no longer need the financial protection the policy provides. The cash value of her policy is now over $90,000, and she’s paid a total of $75,000 in premiums over the years.
Geraldine has enjoyed a relationship of many years with Robin Hood and would like to make a significant gift but is reluctant to use her liquid assets. Geraldine is delighted to learn that her insurance policy can be put to a new and productive use. She arranges with her insurance agent to donate her policy to Robin Hood.
Benefits in this example:
- Geraldine’s gift will entitle her to an income tax charitable deduction for the lesser of the value of the policy or the total premiums paid: $75,000 (in this example).
- She has the satisfaction of making a generous gift to Robin Hood without affecting her current income.
- As the policy owner, Robin Hood can either cash in the policy and have $90,000 to work with immediately or, if Geraldine continues to pay premiums, hold the policy and receive $250,000 as a legacy gift from Geraldine.
Option 2: Designate Robin Hood as a beneficiary of your policy
You can designate Robin Hood to receive some or all of your policy’s death benefit but retain ownership of the policy. You will have the satisfaction of making a generous gift to Robin Hood with no immediate cost to you.
This option allows you to change your mind about your gift should circumstances in your life change. Because your gift is revocable, you do not receive an income tax charitable deduction for your gifts, but your estate will receive an estate tax deduction for the amount your policy distributes to Robin Hood.
It is very easy to designate Robin Hood as a beneficiary of your life insurance policy. Simply contact your insurance agent to make a change in your policy’s beneficiary designation. Be sure to identify us as: Robin Hood Foundation, 826 Broadway, 9th Floor, New York, NY 10003, Federal Tax Identification Number: 13-3441066.
Other considerations:
Loans against your policy can create taxable income
If you give a life insurance policy on which you have an outstanding unpaid loan, you may have to declare a portion of the loan as taxable income. Check with your financial adviser; it may be best to pay off the loan prior to making your gift. If you plan to designate Robin Hood as a beneficiary of your policy (Option 2), an unpaid loan against your policy will not affect your tax picture.
Give a paid-up life insurance policy
Sometimes a life insurance policy may be “paid up,” which means it will stay active without any additional premium payments. A paid-up life insurance policy is a valuable asset and makes an excellent charitable gift.
Some states do not allow you to give a life insurance policy to a charity
For your gift of life insurance to be valid, your state of residence must consider a charity to have an “insurable interest” in your policy. Most states do, but be sure to verify this before you make your gift.
