Naming the Spina Bifida Association of Western Pennsylvania as the beneficiary of a qualified retirement plan is becoming an increasingly popular way to support our mission to provide a a continuum of support services, education and advocacy for individuals with Spina Bifida and their families. Because of the way qualified plans are taxed, at your death relatively few of the assets in the plan may end up in the hands of family members or beneficiaries. These assets are included in your gross estate for federal estate tax purposes, and are also taxed when received by the beneficiaries as income in respect of the decedent.

Funding a charitable gift to the Spina Bifida Association of Western Pennsylvania with these assets generates an estate tax charitable deduction and the Spina Bifida Association of Western Pennsylvania will not have to pay income tax on the assets when they are received. Using retirement plan assets as a gift to the Spina Bifida Association of Western Pennsylvania and other assets for family members can be beneficial to all.

With your support, the Spina Bifida Association of Western Pennsylvania will continue to ensure that all individuals with spina bifida and their families can find the services that they need to continue to grow and live independently — both today and in the future.

Ways to use retirement fund assets to make a gift to the Spina Bifida Association of Western Pennsylvania^[1]:

• Avoid all income and estate taxes by naming the Spina Bifida Association of Western Pennsylvania as primary beneficiary.
• Name the Spina Bifida Association of Western Pennsylvania as the contingent beneficiary after your spouse.
• Designate a certain amount or percentage of your retirement fund assets to be gifted to the Spina Bifida Association of Western Pennsylvania and receive a partial tax savings before giving your family the remaining assets.
• If you are over 59 1/2, use withdrawals from your retirement accounts to fund a current gift to the Spina Bifida Association of Western Pennsylvania. While the withdrawal is taxable, your charitable gift will provide an offsetting deduction on your income taxes.

A Simple Way to Make a Significant Gift AND Save on Taxes

To change the beneficiary of your retirement account, simply ask the administrator of your plan for a Change of Beneficiary for, fill it out, sign it, and return it to your administrator. Many companies now make these forms available online. The only information you will need is the Spina Bifida Association of Western Pennsylvania’s official name, address and Federal Tax Identification Number or Employer Identification Number (EIN): Spina Bifida Association of Western Pennsylvania, 3000 Stonewood Drive, Suite 100, Wexford, PA 15090, EIN # 25-1337324.

Thank you for your thoughtfulness and generosity.
We simply cannot do our work without you!