Ways to support

Thank you for considering a gift to The Royal Oak Foundation to strengthen our programs in the United States and our support of the National Trust and its stewardship and conservation work overseas. Such public support over the last 35 years has allowed Royal Oak to engage thousands of Americans in our work and grant over $7 million to support a wide variety of National Trust priorities.

We need and appreciate your direct support because membership dues and earned income only go so far to underwrite our mission. Royal Oak is an independent U.S., not-for-profit organization based in New York City and all contributions are tax-deductible as allowed by law.

Gifts of Cash
A gift of cash is appealing to those who want the satisfaction of knowing their gift will be available to Royal Oak for immediate use. In most cases, gifts are fully deductible if itemized on Federal income taxes. Donors may deduct up to 50% of their adjusted gross income in any one year, with any remainder carried forward for up to five additional years. You may use this form to contribute by mail. (PDF)

Gifts by Credit Card
Coming soon.

Corporate Matching Gifts
Corporate matching gifts are an easy way for people to increase the impact of their personal contributions to The Royal Oak Foundation. By taking advantage of a employer’s matching gift program, a donor may generate an additional gift that may automatically double or triple his or her own contribution

Here's how to make a matching-gift:

• Check with your company's human resources department to find out about the company’s matching-gift policy.
• Many employers will provide a form for you to fill out and send to us with your donation.
• We will verify your gift and return the form to your company, which will then issue a matching gift contribution to the Foundation.

Please send all gifts and forms to The Royal Oak Foundation (Tax Identification Number 23-7349380)

Gifts of Stock and Other Securities
Making a charitable gift of stock to The Royal Oak Foundation is both economical and easy. Stocks may have appreciated in value by so much that potential donors would be subject to high capital gains taxes if they sold the stock and used it for their own purposes. Tax laws today allow a person to deduct the entire market value of the stock, including the capital appreciation, if it is donated to a charity. This means that in addition to making a tax-efficient gift, one that costs far less than the value donated, the donor is not sacrificing personal income to make the gift.

A gift of stock can be transferred to Royal Oak via:
Vanguard Brokerage Services DTC # 0062
for Royal Oak Foundation account # 62 581 546

The Royal Oak Foundation
35 West 35th Street - 12th fl
New York, NY 10001
tel: 212 480 2889
fax: 212 785 1234

click here for a printable version of this information. (PDF)

Gifts of Life Insurance
A gift of life insurance is an attractive option for those individuals who no longer need the financial protection of an existing policy. For many, assigning a life insurance policy to Royal Oak -or designating the Foundation as beneficiary-is a simple means of making a significant gift without diminishing current assets.

In addition, by transferring ownership of an insurance policy to the Foundation and naming it as a beneficiary, you qualify for an immediate income tax deduction. The amount of the deduction depends on the status of the policy. In the case of a paid-up policy, the charitable deduction generally equals the replacement value of the policy. If the policy is not paid-up, the charitable contribution is approximately equal to the cash/surrender value. In either case, the contribution cannot exceed the donor’s basis in the policy.

Many donors who choose to name Royal Oak as the owner and irrevocable beneficiary of their life insurance policy choose to make their premium payments directly to the Foundation. In turn, Royal Oak pays the life insurance company the annual premium and the donor receives an income tax charitable deduction for the value of the premium. This way, the donor receives a tax deduction in the year the gift is made for the current cash/surrender value of the policy. The donor will receive an additional deduction each year for the premium paid to Royal Oak.

Gifts of Real Estate
Real estate, such as a piece of land, a house, or a farm, may be given to Royal Oak outright, in which case the Foundation will sell the property and use the proceeds immediately. It is also possible for real estate to be used to fund a trust and provide the donor (or another person) with lifetime income. A donor can also donate a house to The Royal Oak Foundation and retain the right to live in it during his or her lifetime. This type of gift provides the donor with an immediate charitable deduction.

Tax-Free Giving From your IRA
Recent legislation offers a new charitable giving opportunity under the Pension Protection Act of 2006. If you are age 70 1/2 or older, own an IRA, and regularly make charitable contributions, this opportunity may be suitable for you. The act allows you to make distributions directly from your IRA to one or more charities without the distributions being included in taxable income or subject to withholding. These charitable distributions are not considered taxable income; however, they are also not deductible.

Previously, if you wanted to use IRA funds for a charitable contribution, you had to withdraw money from your IRA and then contribute it. The amount you withdrew was taxable, and the deduction for the contribution may or may not have offset the tax. Another benefit of the legislation is that the funds transferred from your IRA to a charity count towards your mandatory withdrawal.

Making charitable contributions from an IRA rather than other assets will be especially appropriate for those who:

• do not itemize deductions,
• would not be able to deduct all of their charitable contributions because of deduction limitations,
• may lose some of their itemized deductions because of their income level, or
• are required to take distributions but do not need them for living expenses.

Certain limitations apply to these non-taxable charitable distributions from an IRA:

• They cannot exceed $100,000 per year.
• The gifts must be outright. For instance, they cannot be used to establish a gift annuity or fund a charitable remainder trust.
• These tax-free direct distributions are scheduled to expire at the end of 2009.

Supporting Specific Royal Oak and National Trust Priorities
Please feel free to contact us by telephone or email if you wish to make a gift to support a particular aspect of Royal Oak’s work, such as Fellowships and Scholarships or Lectures and Tours in U.S. cities.

Additionally, Royal Oak receives regular tax-deductible support for the National Trust from United States residents and tax payers. You may make a gift and recommend that it be applied to a favorite National Trust property, such as Hardwick Hall, or projects such as ongoing work to protect and increase access to the British Coastline, or Royal Oak’s appeal for Country House Libraries, for example.

In conformity with U.S. law and Internal Revenue Service Regulations, your donation recommended for the National Trust is considered unrestricted until is it reviewed by the Grants Committee and approved by the Royal Oak Board of Directors, on a quarterly basis.

More Information & Questions
Should you wish to discuss any of the above options in greater detail or if you questions, please contact us at (800) 913-6565, extension 201 or send an email to donate@royal-oak.org. The above text is provided for informational purposes and any individual considering a planned gift is encouraged to also consult with their tax advisor or accountant.