Including Philadelphia Yearly Meeting (PYM) in your will or living trust is one of the simplest and most flexible ways to leave a legacy of faith and compassion.

How It Works
You designate a particular asset or a percentage of your estate to PYM by including a bequest provision in your will or revocable trust. You can do this while creating your will or trust, or amend an existing one with a simple document. PYM can be either a primary or contingent beneficiary.

If you wish to designate your gift to a particular program or focus area, please contact us to develop the language and ensure we can honor your wishes.

You inform PYM of your commitment, which helps with planning and ensures your wishes can be fulfilled. This is especially important for gifts of real estate, business interests, or other specialized property.

PYM receives the gift after your lifetime and applies it to the purpose(s) you specified. Unrestricted charitable gifts will be used to support our ongoing work to connect Friends and strengthen our Quaker community.

Your distribution is fully deductible for federal estate tax purposes, and there is no limit on the deduction your estate can claim. Additionally, the gift is typically exempt from state inheritance taxes.

Sample Bequest Language
I give, devise, and bequeath to The Philadelphia Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends, a religious organization existing under the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, __% of the rest, residue and remainder of my estate (or the sum of $__), to be used for general (or defined) purposes.

Contact us at (215) 241-7115 to learn about PYM’s gift acceptance and bequest policies.

Gifts made to PYM’s Legacy Fund income support Friends ongoing work to connect Friends and strengthen our Quaker community. When you give to the Legacy Fund, you can endow your annual fund giving in your own name or to honor parents or loved ones, capturing how a person’s life speaks through short biographical sketches placed on the PYM website.

You can use the below chart to calculate how much impact your gift will have each year! Many Friends make sure the annual impact is the same as their annual gifts in life.

The minimum Legacy Fund contribution is $1250.

*At Friends Fiduciary’s current and presumptive 4% distribution rate

You can name PYM as a beneficiary of your life insurance policy, or as a contingent beneficiary should your other beneficiaries not survive you.

How It Works

1. Provide now for a future gift by naming PYM as a beneficiary of your life insurance policy.
2. The benefits pass to PYM free of federal estate tax and are applied to the program designated by the donor at the policyholder’s death.

Naming PYM as a beneficiary of your IRA, 401(k), or other qualified plan may eliminate both income and estate taxes.

How It Works

1. You name PYM as the beneficiary of a qualifying retirement plan through a beneficiary designation form, ensuring assets will not be included in your taxable estate.
2. After your lifetime, the residue of your plan passes to PYM tax-free and to any other named heirs.

A charitable gift annuity allows you to support our Quaker community while receiving fixed payments for life for yourself or a loved one. It’s a gift that gives back.

How It Works

• You create an annuity by irrevocably transferring cash, securities, or other property to PYM.
• You and/or up to two beneficiaries receive fixed annual payments for life at a great rate based on the age of the beneficiaries.
• You can begin receiving payments immediately (if you are 60 or older) or defer payments for a year or more. The older you are when payments begin, the higher your rate.
• You are eligible for an immediate tax deduction. If you donate appreciated assets, you may save on capital gains taxes as well.
• The principal passes to PYM after the lifetime of the income beneficiaries.

Make a gift to PYM now that will pay you income later. When you defer your payments, they will be higher.

How It Works

1. You irrevocably transfer cash, securities, or other property to PYM.
2. Beginning on a specified future date, PYM begins to pay you, or up to two beneficiaries, fixed annuity payments for life.
3. The principal passes to PYM after the lifetime(s) of the beneficiaries.

This flexible giving option can provide you with income and may hedge against inflation.

How It Works

1. You establish a trust with PYM using cash or securities, or real estate.
2. If named trustee, PYM will direct our legal counsel to draft a trust document. When we serve as trustee, we work with investment partners to manage the trust appropriately.
3. You or your beneficiaries receive payments for life (beneficiaries must be age 50 or older) or for a term of up to 20 years. Payments vary based on the performance of the investments and are based on a rate agreed upon when the trust is created (the statutory minimum is 5%).
4. If you donate appreciated securities, those assets can be sold and reinvested without capital gains tax at the time of transfer.
5. You may add to your trust at any time with additional gifts.
6. When the unitrust terminates—either at the death of the last beneficiary or the end of the trust term—the remaining balance will transfer to PYM.

Donating appreciated stocks, bonds, or mutual funds is a quick and simple process that may provide you with significant tax benefits.

How It Works

1. You transfer appreciated securities to PYM.
2. PYM sells the securities and uses the proceeds to fund vital work that connects and supports our faith community.

Maximize your charitable deduction and provide funds for our work immediately.

How It Works

• You send a check, wire funds, or contribute online to Philadelphia Yearly Meeting.
• We use your donation for the purposes you specify.

If you’re 70 ½ or older, you can fund gifts with required minimum distributions, or use your IRA to fund a life income gift.

How It Works

• You direct distributions, up to the annual limit set by the IRS, from your traditional or Roth IRA directly to PYM. (Other retirement accounts are not covered by the law.)
• The distributions go directly to PYM and are not subject to federal income tax.

Making Your Gift
Contact your IRA custodian and ask them to send the check for a “qualified charitable distribution” to:

Philadelphia Yearly Meeting
1515 Cherry Street
Philadelphia, PA 19102

Please request that your custodian reference your name and address if possible.

Donate books, artwork, or equipment to support the work and witness of Friends while saving on taxes.

How It Works

1. You transfer a painting, antiques, collectibles, or other personal property to PYM. (Most gifts of personal property are made outright.)
2. PYM may use the property, display it, or sell it and use the proceeds to support our mission.

Donate residential, commercial, or undeveloped real estate to help sustain our work, save on taxes, and reduce ownership responsibilities.

How It Works
Each real estate gift is unique, and PYM will work closely with you to determine whether the property can be accepted.

1. Save on taxes: Donate your property outright. We can sell it and use the proceeds to support our faith community. You receive a tax deduction for the full value and may avoid capital gains tax.
2. Receive income: Use your property to fund a gift that pays you income. You qualify for a partial charitable tax deduction and receive income for life (or a term of years).
3. Stay in your home: You can donate your home and continue to live there by creating a retained life estate. You receive an immediate tax deduction and retain use of your property for life.
4. Make a gift in your will or trust: Maintain control of your property during your lifetime by making a gift through your will or trust.

Give your house or farm to PYM and continue to live there rent-free.

How It Works

1. You irrevocably transfer your residence, farm, or vacation home to PYM.
2. You continue to live there rent-free for life or a specified term and remain responsible for taxes and upkeep.
3. PYM assumes ownership when your life estate ends.

Freeze the taxable value of your assets, use them to support PYM now, and pass them to loved ones later.

How It Works

1. You transfer assets to a trustee of your choice (PYM does not serve as trustee) and create a charitable lead trust.
2. The trustee invests the trust assets.
3. The trust makes payments to PYM for life or a term of years.
4. When the trust ends, the remaining principal is paid to you or your heirs — often with tax advantages.

Manage your charitable giving through this convenient, flexible, and cost-effective alternative to a private foundation.

Why It Might Be Right for You

• You have extra income or a special taxable event but wish to give over time.
• You have many charitable interests and want to simplify your giving.
• You want to complement or replace a private foundation.

Leave a gift to PYM in your will or revocable trust with a provision that the gift first provide income to your heirs.

How It Works

1. You write a will or trust that directs a bequest to PYM with the provision that it first create a life income gift benefiting your heirs.
2. After your heirs’ income interest ends, the remaining balance passes to PYM.
3. Your estate will receive a charitable estate tax deduction for the gift.