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Legacy Giving

The Nature of Your Legacy

The ability to make a lasting difference is powerful. You can help ensure that our rivers are sparkling, scenic trails and wildlife habitat are abundant, and future generations understand and protect these vital resources.

Through a Legacy gift, you can have an enduring positive impact on the nature of our communities, and the Nashua River Watershed Association’s mission to protect it. Legacy gifts are an excellent choice for people of all ages and means, and are very rewarding.

A bequest can direct a gift of cash, stock, or a percentage of an estate to the Association, or you can name the NRWA as one of the beneficiaries of a retirement plan or life insurance policy.

The NRWA is honored that many individuals have chosen to include the Association in their will or estate plan, and we understand that every gift conveys the individual’s values and trust.

Please reach out to discuss your thoughts or receive more information on ways to include the NRWA in your estate plan.

Retirement Plans & Life Insurance

You can name a nonprofit as the beneficiary of a portion of your life insurance policies or unused retirement assets. These can include individual retirement accounts (IRAs), 401(k)s, 403(b)s, or pensions.

These types of planned gifts are a good option for individuals who have retirement accounts that they won’t use up or life insurance policies. If an individual has a large estate, gifting retirement accounts and life insurance policies can help heirs avoid income and estate taxes.

To designate the Nashua River Watershed Association as a beneficiary of your retirement plan or life insurance policy, contact the administrator of your plan for a Change of Beneficiary. To complete the form, provide the Nashua River Watershed Association’s legal contact information:

Name: Nashua River Watershed Association, Inc.
Legal Address: 592 Main Street, Groton, MA 01450
Taxpayer Identification Number: 23-7055674
Relationship: 501(c)3 Nonprofit Organization

Bequests

A bequest is a gift that is directed from your will. Bequests are a simple, impactful, and popular way to make a Legacy Gift. Bequest gifts don’t cost you anything during your lifetime, yet they allow your lifetime values to carry forward. They can be modified if desired.

To make a charitable bequest, a donor allocates a portion of their estate to a nonprofit in their legal will. Allocation is typically in one of three forms:

Cash Bequest: A specific amount of cash
Percentage Bequest: A percentage of the total estate
Residual Bequest: The remaining value of the estate after all other bequests have been paid

Sample language:

Cash Bequest: “I bequeath the sum of $ _____ to Nashua River Watershed Association, a nonprofit corporation having its principal place of business in Groton, Massachusetts, to be used as Nashua River Watershed Association, Inc. in its sole discretion deems appropriate.”
Percentage Bequest: “I bequeath x percent/the entire value of the residue of my estate to Nashua River Watershed Association, Inc., a non-profit corporation having a principal place of business in Groton, Massachusetts, to be used as Nashua River Watershed Association in its sole discretion deems appropriate.”
Residuary Bequest: “I bequeath the rest, residue, and remainder of my estate, both real and personal, wherever situated, to the Nashua River Watershed Association, Inc., a non-profit corporation having a principal place of business in Groton, Massachusetts, to be used as Nashua River Watershed Association, Inc. in its sole discretion deems appropriate.”

If you already have a will or trust, please review the documents to determine if any changes in your family or other circumstances warrant revising the document.

If you wish to add the Nashua River Watershed Association for a gift in your existing will, you can add a Codicil, which is a legal addendum. You can contact the attorney who drafted the original document, or utilize a template available online.

If you don’t have a will or trust, you can contact an attorney to have these documents prepared. A will is very important, regardless of wealth, as it ensures your wishes are known and can save loved ones from the complications of probate proceedings. There are also free online platforms available to create a will.

Other Planned Giving Options

A variety of other options exist for planned gifts. Some of these options pay income to the donor, while others provide income for the Association today, and protect the donor’s assets for their heirs.

Charitable Lead Trust

A Charitable Lead Trust helps you build a charitable fund for a non-profit organization during the trust’s term. When the trust terminates, the remaining assets are transferred to you or your heirs, often with significant transfer-tax savings.

Charitable Remainder Trust

Giving through a Charitable Remainder Trust allows you to receive income for the rest of your life, knowing that whatever remains will benefit your community. You transfer cash, appreciated stocks, real estate, or other assets into a trust. You receive an immediate charitable tax deduction for the charitable portion of your trust. The trust pays you or a beneficiary you designate regular income payments. Upon the beneficiary’s death or after a defined period of years, the remaining assets in the trust transfer to the non-profit organization.

One Donor’s Story: Drew Casey

Drew Casey joined the Nashua River Watershed Association as Development Director in 2007. He was excited by the opportunity to help the Association ensure it could continue its good work forever.

Drew was a joyful, enthusiastic ambassador, loved by staff and members of the community. Everyone at the Association was deeply saddened when he passed away.

We were honored to learn that he had named the NRWA as the beneficiary of his Individual Retirement Account. Drew’s decision and generosity will help to achieve his goal to sustain the Association.

Contact us for more information:

Call 978-448-0299 or email:

Sarah Rose, Development Director