Leave a Legacy

Help families build safe, affordable homes and communities.

Families partner with Habitat for Humanity to end the cycle of housing instability and become successful homeowners and active members of their communities.
Home construction and revitalization are important parts of Habitat’s mission. With volunteers and homeowners working side-by-side, and local organizations contributing, we can positively impact the quality of life for residents and the community. With your help, Habitat can serve even more people and communities in need of better housing.

Gifts of vehicles

When you donate your car to Habitat for Humanity we turn it into cash that supports local families. For more information, please view our page on car donations.

Gifts of cash

A donation of cash is a simple and effective way to create your legacy with Habitat for Humanity. You benefit from a charitable tax deduction while you have an immediate impact on families in need of safe, affordable housing.
If you would like to make a cash gift, you can do so through our donation page.

Gifts that pay you income

You can receive income for life while ensuring that families have access to safe and affordable housing.
If you are considering this type of gift, we recommend that you consult with your financial advisor and a gift planner at Habitat for Humanity.

Charitable gift annuities

You can transfer assets to a charitable gift annuity and receive income for life.
This plan allows you to give a substantial donation to Habitat for Humanity while receiving tax-favored income for life. Charitable gift annuities offer attractive payout rates for those who want to receive income and provide families the opportunity to become self-reliant through safe, affordable housing.

Charitable remainder trust

You can receive income for life and reduce your taxes while supporting Habitat for Humanity by transferring assets to fund the trust. Not only does this pay income to you or your beneficiaries for life, but you also receive an income tax deduction the year you transfer assets to the trust. The remaining portion of the trust, after all payments have been made, goes to Habitat for Humanity.

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Gifts that may reduce your taxes

Some legacy gifts made to Habitat for Humanity can have substantial tax savings.

Retirement plan gift

You can reduce or even eliminate tax liabilities on your retirement plan by naming Habitat for Humanity as direct beneficiary. The entire amount of your IRA, 401(k) or other retirement accounts may be taxed if you leave them to your heirs. Instead, consider giving them less tax- burdened assets like real estate and stock, and use retirement assets to create your legacy gift with Habitat.

Life insurance plan

If you have a life insurance policy that has outlasted its original purpose, you can use it to reduce your taxes and create a legacy gift for Habitat for Humanity.

Savings bonds

When you redeem savings bonds, you or the person to whom you leave your bonds will owe income tax on the appreciation. You can eliminate the income tax on bonds you own that have stopped earning interest and that you plan to redeem. Since Habitat for Humanity is tax exempt, 100 percent of your gift of savings bonds will support our mission to bring people together to build homes and strong communities.

Gifts of real estate

You may decide that the greatest gift you can make is to leave your home or farm to Habitat for Humanity. This kind of gift is ideal for people who intend to continue living in their home or property through their lifetime, but still want to make a charitable gift.

Gifts of stock

Stocks, bonds and mutual funds that have appreciated in value are among the best ways to ensure that Habitat can help reduce housing instability for families in your local community and around the world

Gifts by bequest

Making a legacy gift in your will or trust is one of the easiest and most popular ways to partner in the mission.

Here are the most common ways that people make a lasting gift to Habitat for Humanity:

Residual bequest

A percentage of the remainder of your estate after other specific legacies have been fulfilled.

Specific bequest

A specific dollar amount, stated fraction of your estate or specified gift-in-kind such as collections, art, books, jewelry, etc.

Contingent bequest

A gift that is originally intended for other beneficiaries but, in the event of their prior passing, is redirected as a charitable donation.

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Gifts by beneficiary designation

When you make a gift to Habitat for Humanity from your retirement plan, insurance plan or other assets, you make it possible for people to obtain safe, affordable places to call home.
Best of all, these gifts are easy to make! Simply contact the firm that holds your assets and complete a beneficiary form.

Retirement funds gift

Many people choose to name Habitat for Humanity as a beneficiary of a retirement plan to reduce their taxes and empower families to become self-reliant homeowners.

Life insurance policy gift

If you have a life insurance policy that has outlasted its original purpose, you can use it to fund a legacy gift while enjoying tax savings during your lifetime.

Savings bonds

If you have bonds that have stopped earning interest and you plan to redeem, you will owe income tax on the appreciation. In the end, your heirs will receive only a fraction of the value of the bonds in which you so carefully invested. If you have a life insurance policy that has outlasted its original purpose, you can use it to fund a legacy gift while enjoying tax savings during your lifetime.

CDs, bank accounts and brokerage accounts

Naming Habitat as the beneficiary of a certificate of deposit, a checking or savings bank account, or a brokerage account is one of the easiest ways to positively impact our homeowner families.

Donor-advised fund residuals

Final distribution of contributions remaining in a donor-advised fund is governed by the contract you completed when you created your fund. Please consider naming Habitat as a successor of your account or a portion of your account value.

As someone who values community and empowerment, you may be interested in other ways to promote self-reliance and housing stability.

There are a variety of ways to ensure all people have safe, affordable places to call home for years to come.

Qualified Charitable Distribution — a permanent giving option

Many donors feel that directly transferring funds from IRAs is a great way to help families and create a legacy. This is now a permanent option.

• You must be 70½ or older.
• An individual may transfer up to a total of $105,000 per year and a married couple may give up to $210,000.
• An individual may take a one-time QCD up to $53,000 to fund a charitable gift annuity (CGA) or charitable remainder trust (CRT).
• Your gift must be transferred directly from the IRA account to Habitat.
• Your gift is a transfer of funds from your IRA to Habitat, so it does not create taxable income for you and is not considered a charitable tax deduction.
• The transfer of funds counts toward your annual Required Minimum Distribution* from your IRA.

Gifts of property

You can donate appreciated real estate, such as a home, vacation property, undeveloped land, farmland, ranch or commercial property. This is an effective way to fund a legacy gift that will assist families with building sustainable, decent homes.
You can make this generous gift while still using the property throughout your lifetime, and you may even receive a tax deduction for your gift.

Gifts of stock

Stocks, bonds and mutual funds that have appreciated in value are among the most financially advantageous to ensure all people can partner with Habitat for Humanity to have affordable, safe housing.