Creating a Lasting Legacy

A planned gift is one of the most meaningful ways you can show appreciation for Shelburne Farms and support our mission. You may be able to save on taxes, receive income for life, or enjoy other financial benefits - all while creating a lasting legacy that helps Shelburne Farms to thrive for years to come.

You don’t have to be wealthy or a certain age to plan for loved ones and make an impactful legacy gift. Explore giving options on our website or contact us to discuss estate planning opportunities.

FAQs About Estate Planning

Couple with their child near Farm Barn

Beneficiary Designation

Naming Shelburne Farms as the beneficiary of your retirement plan or life insurance policy is a quick and easy strategy, entirely separate from your Will, that requires no lawyers or fees. 

Grandfather and grandson sitting on a tractor

Bequests

Including Shelburne Farms as a beneficiary in your Will or Living Trust is a simple and thoughtful way to create a lasting legacy.

Education garden with Farm Barn tower behind it.

Gifts That Pay You Income

Do you want to support Shelburne Farms but worry about having enough income for yourself and your loved ones?  Partnering with the experts at the Vermont Community Foundation, you can turn cash or securities into a Charitable Gift Annuity that pays you fixed payments for life while offering an income tax deduction and ultimately benefiting Shelburne Farms.

Peonies at the flower garden

Gifts That Protect Your Assets

If you want to make an impact at Shelburne Farms now, and provide for your family later at a reduced tax rate, consider setting up a Charitable Lead Trust. This type of trust is an irrevocable financial planning tool designed to provide support to a designated charity (or charities) such as Shelburne Farms for a fixed period of time, with the remaining assets eventually going to family members or other beneficiaries.

Estate Planning FAQs

An estate plan is a crucial aspect of your financial wellness. Having a plan ensures that your wishes are honored after you are gone and your loved ones and the organizations you care about are taken care of. Estate plans indicate who will pay your final expenses and who will receive your assets such as financial accounts, stocks, life insurance policies, personal property, and real estate. Plans generally consist of one or more documents such as a Will, Trust, and/or beneficiary designation forms.

Sue Dixon

Questions?

Through careful gift planning, people often discover that they are able to have even greater impact than they had imagined possible. Bequests naming Shelburne Farms as beneficiary help to ensure that the Farm’s groundbreaking EFS (“Education for Sustainability”) programs and partnerships continue engaging young people – along with their guiding families, teachers, & elders – to shape healthy and just communities worldwide. 

Questions? Contact Sue Dixon Special Gifts Coordinator, at sdixon@shelburnefarms.org or call 802-985-0322