Bequest Language

Printable Bequest Language

Naming the American Bar Foundation (ABF) in your will is a simple way to benefit the ABF in a significant way, leaving a lasting legacy.

You can give to the ABF a specific dollar amount, a percentage of your estate or a trust, or the remainder of your estate or a trust. Your gift to the ABF will reduce the size of your taxable estate and can reduce estate taxes.

Sample wording:

Specific Sum Gift
I give to the American Bar Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation, Federal Tax ID #36-6110271, now having its principal place of business located at 750 N. Lakeshore Drive, Chicago, IL 60611, the sum of $_______ to be used for its general purposes.

Percentage Gift
I give to the American Bar Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation, Federal Tax ID #36-6110271, now having its principal place of business located at 750 N. Lakeshore Drive, Chicago, IL 60611, an amount equal to _____% of the net value of my estate [or trust] to be used for its general purposes.

Residuary Gift
I give to the American Bar Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation, Federal Tax ID #36-6110271, now having its principal place of business located at 750 N. Lakeshore Drive, Chicago, IL 60611, the rest, residue, and remainder of my estate [or trust] to be used for its general purposes.

The most useful type of gift to the ABF is unrestricted. An unrestricted gift allows the ABF to allocate your gift wherever the need is greatest. Nonetheless, if you have specific goals for your gift, you can restrict its use to specific purposes. However, for restricted gifts, ABF would like the following wording to be added at the end of your gift provision:

"If in the future changed circumstances make it impractical to continue administering the gift for the purpose designated, then the American Bar Foundation’s Board of Directors may redirect the use of the gift in the best interests of the Foundation and in a manner as close as possible to my original intent."

This language will ensure that, in the remote possibility a specified purpose may cease to need funds in the future, an alternate use for the gift may be determined.

THE INFORMATION HEREIN IS NOT INTENDED AS LEGAL OR TAX ADVICE, THE ABF DOES NOT PROVIDE LEGAL COUNSEL OR TAX ADVICE IN ANY FORM. PLEASE SEEK THE ASSISTANCE OF A LICENSED ATTORNEY, TAX ADVISOR, OR FINANCIAL ADVISOR TO ENSURE ANY GIFT YOU ARE CONSIDERING FITS APPROPRIATELY WITH YOUR SPECIFIC CIRCUMSTANCES.