Leave a Legacy of Hope and Healing
Thank you for your interest in learning more about how legacy gifts, put into place now, can help you provide a secure future for your loved ones and support the Mercy Ships mission well into the future. A legacy gift is a lasting investment in Mercy Ships, advancing our mission and ensuring our ability to help those in need for years to come.
For over 40 years, the heart of Mercy Ships has focused on bringing hope and healing to the forgotten poor. Our fleet of state-of-the-art hospital ships bring world-class healthcare and medical training to regions where clean water, reliable electricity, and medical personnel and supplies are limited or even nonexistent. Onboard our hospital ships, staffed by volunteer professionals from around the world, surgeries are performed that transform the lives of people who might otherwise face a lifetime of suffering. Tumors are removed, orthopedic conditions are corrected, sight is restored, cleft lips are repaired, and more!
We invite you to consider adding Mercy Ships to your will, leaving a legacy of hope and healing well into the future.
"You can't change the whole world. But you can change the whole world
for one person."
-Dr. Gary Parker, volunteer surgeon
Gifts of Retirement Assets
Donating part or all of your unused retirement assets, such as your IRA, 401(k), 403(b), pension or other tax-deferred plan, is an excellent way to make a gift to Mercy Ships.
If you are like most people, you probably will not use all of your retirement assets during your lifetime. You can make a gift of your unused retirement assets to help further our mission.
Benefits of gifts of retirement assets
- Avoid potential estate tax on retirement assets
- Your heirs would avoid income tax on any retirement assets funded on a pre-tax basis
- Receive potential estate tax savings from an estate tax deduction
How to make a gift of retirement assets
To leave your retirement assets to Mercy Ships, you will need to complete a beneficiary designation form provided by your retirement plan custodian. If you designate Mercy Ships as beneficiary, we will benefit from the full value of your gift because your IRA assets will not be taxed at your death. Your estate will benefit from an estate tax charitable deduction for the gift.
More on gifts of retirement assets
Did you know that 60%-70% of your retirement assets may be taxed if you leave them to your heirs at your death? Another option is to leave your heirs assets that receive a step up in basis, such as real estate and stock, and give the retirement assets to Mercy Ships. As a charity, we are not taxed upon receiving an IRA or other retirement plan assets.
Contact us
If you have any questions about gifts of retirement assets, please contact us. We would be happy to assist you and answer any questions that you have.
Please let us know if you have already included Mercy Ships as a beneficiary of your retirement assets. We would like to thank you and recognize you for your gift.
