Planned Giving
Since 1996, Dawn Mountain has been the fortunate recipient of the generosity of its devoted members and friends. The sangha’s growth and its ability to carry on the worldwide spiritual work of Tibetan Buddhism are due in large part to these charitable bequests.
Planned giving is a way to experience the joy that comes from participating in a worldwide sacred vision for the upliftment of humanity, by helping to ensure that the goals of Dawn Mountain continue to be met. Planned giving also helps the donor to maximize the personal benefits of his or her charitable gifts (such as tax savings, increased income, and sound estate planning), and allows for the contribution of gifts that otherwise might have been thought not possible.
Types of Planned Gifts
Planned giving is about "tax-wise" philanthropy. The goal of the planned gifts discussed below is to enable you to minimize the cost of giving, while maximizing the benefits for yourself, your family, and Dawn Mountain. Planned gifts include traditional gifts such as bequests, as well as those you might not normally consider, such as gifts of life insurance, real property, and retirement plan assets.
Wills or Trusts
The simplest way to leave a planned gift is to make a bequest including specific language in your will or living trust naming Dawn Mountain as the recipient.
The following is an example of suggested language to include in your will/trust:
“I give and bequeath to Dawn Mountain, a Texas non-profit corporation, located at 2726 Bissonnet St., #240-415, Houston TX 77005, the sum of $____, or ______% of my estate, to be used for the accomplishment of its general purpose (or for a specific purpose as indicated).”
Retirement Plan Donations or Life Insurance Policies
You can name Dawn Mountain as the beneficiary of your IRA, 401k or 403b retirement plan or life insurance policy. This is a simple, effective way to support Dawn Mountain while reducing or eliminating significant, often unanticipated tax penalties. In addition, after age 70 and a half, you can also use your required minimum distribution up to $100,000 per year as a qualified donation avoiding taxes but satisfying your required minimum distribution.
Charitable Gift Annuities
A charitable gift annuity is the easiest way to create dependable income for life while also helping Dawn Mountain. Please note that Dawn Mountain does not administer charitable gift annuities but can recommend an administrator.
Real Estate/Appreciated Assets
A variety of assets can be donated such as real estate, appreciated securities, and tangible personal property such as art or jewelry. Donating appreciated assets can help offset income and capital gains taxes. If you are contemplating gifting an investment property or a vacation home, a gift of real estate offers an excellent option for tax-wise giving. You can also include Dawn Mountain as a beneficiary of real estate or appreciated assets in your will. Please be aware that as part of our gift acceptance policy, all gifts of real estate, appreciated assets, and tangible personal property are examined on a case-by-case basis.
"When giving to others, do not linger on thoughts of what was given or the one who has received. Happiness never decreases by being shared." – Buddha
If you have already included Dawn Mountain in a bequest or other planned gift, please let us know so we can honor your support. We respect those who wish to remain anonymous, but we urge you to let us know of your plans on a confidential basis, as it allows Dawn Mountain to plan for the future.
You can fill out this contact form to reach out to us about your interest in including Dawn Mountain as part of your estate planning.