A planned gift to the Friends of the Oak Park Conservatory in your will, trust, retirement plan, or IRA helps ensure The Friends’ continued support of the Oak Park Conservatory, including education programs for all ages and backgrounds and rewarding volunteer opportunities for future generations.
You are invited to join fellow donors in the Legacy Society and make the generous decision to include The Friends in your estate plans.
When you partner with the Friends of the Oak Park Conservatory, you demonstrate a shared commitment to the Conservatory and its community. Below we outline the various ways you can make a contribution.
The Friends of the Oak Park Conservatory established two funds in partnership with the Oak Park-River Forest Community Foundation, a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization, to protect and support the Friend’s mission now and forever:
Our Operations Strategic Reserve Fund, established in 2021, supports general operating needs, improvement projects, new equipment, or to create and support community programs.
Our long-term Endowment Fund was established in 2005 to protect the overall mission of the Friends of the Oak Park Conservatory in perpetuity.
Unrestricted gifts allow The Friends to direct funds where they are most needed. There are ways to give a designated donation. Please contact our Executive Director to discuss this option.
Contact your estate planning attorney, financial advisor, and/or accountant to let them know you are considering a planned gift to the Friends of the Oak Park Conservatory, a 501(c)(3) organization. They can assist you in determining what type of gift best suits your personal and financial circumstances.
Retirees ages 72 or older can give up to $100,000 to a charitable organization from an IRA and have it count as a required minimum distribution for the year. By directly transferring assets from your IRA to charity, you avoid paying income taxes. (A tax-free transfer will not count if you withdraw the money from the IRA first and then make the contribution to the charity.)
You may also want to consider naming or designating the Friends of the Oak Park Conservatory as a beneficiary of your retirement plan; as a tax-exempt organization, The Friends will generally receive the full amount of the plan’s value.
To name The Friends as a beneficiary of your retirement plan, contact your plan administrator to obtain a beneficiary form.
If you name The Friends as a charitable beneficiary of all or a percentage of a fully paid life insurance policy you may no longer need, you may receive a charitable estate tax deduction for the portion you designate.
Make a bigger impact by donating long-term appreciated securities, including stock, bonds, and mutual funds, directly to The Friends. When you donate stock to a public charity, you will generally take a tax deduction for the full fair market value. Talk with your broker about how to transfer appreciated securities.
As with a retirement plan, you can name The Friends as a charitable beneficiary of your donor-advised fund (DAF). Simply complete a beneficiary designation form from your DAF advisor.
To leave a gift to the Friends of the Oak Park Conservatory in your will or trust, simply share the language below with your financial planner or attorney. If you anticipate your bequest will be $50,000 or larger, you may wish to establish a charitable fund.
Friends of the Oak Park Conservatory EIN: 36-3456058
To Make a Bequest
“I give the sum of _____ dollars, or _____% of the residuary of my estate, to the Friends of the Oak Park Conservatory, PO Box 1096, Oak Park, IL 60304 in support of the organization’s general purposes in accordance with FOPCON Board policy for the Legacy Society.”
If you have questions regarding recommended language for unrestricted gifts or endowments, please do not hesitate to contact us.
For more information about the gift opportunities and their benefits, contact:
Judy Klem, Executive Director
Friends of the Oak Park Conservatory
615 Garfield, Oak Park, IL 60304
Phone: 708-725-2460
Email: [email protected]
Once you have decided to make a planned gift to The Friends, please let us know by filling out this form. This will initiate your membership in the Legacy Society.
The material presented on this site is not offered as legal or tax advice. For assistance with your particular situation, please consult your attorney, tax advisor, financial advisor, or other professional.
Phone: (708) 725-2460
615 Garfield
PO Box 1096
Oak Park, IL 60304
© Copyright 2009-2022 Friends of the Oak Park Conservatory, All Rights Reserved.
The Friends of the Oak Park Conservatory is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to promote community interest in the Oak Park Conservatory,
offer educational and recreational opportunities and support projects that benefit the Oak Park Conservatory.
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