Planned Giving

Elephants never forget and a planned gift to the SWT USA can help remember them forever through a lasting legacy.

A planned gift to Sheldrick Wildlife Trust USA (SWT USA) is a gift from the heart and a wonderful promise to help us protect Africa’s wildlife and to preserve habitats for the future of all wild species. No matter the size, every gift can make a real difference to our field projects, ensuring Kenya’s orphaned and injured animals can have a second chance at life and the secure space they need to roam.

A gift for the future of wildlife

Our wildlife conservation programs are focused on saving lives today and securing habitats for the future. Elephants and their wild friends need space to roam and deserve the right to live naturally and in peace. You can make a lasting contribution to Kenya's wild species and, when given through the US 501c3 registered charity of Sheldrick Wildlife Trust USA, may afford your gift additional tax benefits

Your gift can transform lives

Elephants, rhinos, giraffes and countless other species are being left orphaned due to poaching, human-wildlife conflict, loss of habitat and drought caused by climate change. By leaving a planned gift, many of which are alterable, you can help give orphaned animals a second chance at life, providing them with the specialist care, love and sense of family they need to not only survive, but thrive when living back in the wild.

How to get started

Please include the following information when you draw up your estate plan.

Legal Name: The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust USA, Inc.

Address: 25283 Cabot Road, Suite 101 Laguna Hills, CA 92653

Phone: (949) 305-3785

Website: www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org

Tax ID #: 30-0224549

We would always advise that you consult your legal and/or tax advisor for advice regarding your specific situation and potential tax benefits.

You may identify Sheldrick Wildlife Trust USA as the beneficiary of a certain amount, specific asset, or percentage of your estate under your Will or Revocable Trust. Although you will not receive any tax benefits during your lifetime, following your passing, your estate may be eligible to take income and estate tax charitable deductions for the testamentary bequest to Sheldrick Wildlife Trust USA.

Sample language to bring to your attorney: I give and devise to Sheldrick Wildlife Trust USA, Inc. (Tax ID #30-0224549), located in Laguna Hills, CA the sum of $______ (or %) to be used for its general support (or for the support of a specific program).

You can designate the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust USA as a partial, contingent or sole beneficiary of your IRA or other qualified retirement plans, such as your 401(k), 403(b), Keogh or profit-sharing pension. Designating SWT USA as a beneficiary of your retirement accounts is a tax-efficient way to maximize support for SWT USA, as the amount distributed to our organization will not be subject to income tax and will qualify for the estate tax charitable deduction. In addition, if you are over 70½ years old, you can take advantage of a simple way to benefit SWT USA and receive tax benefits in return. You can make a Qualified Charitable Distribution of up to $100,000 per year from your IRA directly to SWT USA without having to include the amount distributed as income for federal income tax purposes. No charitable deduction may be taken, but such distributions will qualify for all or part of the IRA’s required minimum distributions.
You can designate Sheldrick Wildlife Trust USA as the beneficiary of all or a percentage of your life insurance policy proceeds, which will be deductible for estate tax purposes following your passing. You may also irrevocably transfer ownership of a paid-up life insurance policy to Sheldrick Wildlife Trust USA during your lifetime and may take an income tax charitable deduction for the current value of the policy.
A simple way to provide for the future of elephants is by making the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust USA the “pay on death” beneficiary of the account. Charitable contributions made in this manner are treated the same as testamentary bequests for tax purposes.
Final distribution of contributions remaining in a donor advised fund is usually governed by the terms of the agreement at the time the fund was created. You can name Sheldrick Wildlife Trust USA as a successor beneficiary or designate SWT USA to receive a portion of the remaining account value, leaving the balance for your family or friends to continue your legacy of philanthropy.
If you would like to benefit Sheldrick Wildlife Trust USA while obtaining an upfront income tax charitable deduction, and also potentially benefitting family members, you may consider a lifetime gift to an irrevocable charitable lead or charitable remainder trust. These trusts are structured to make distributions to charity either during or at the end of the trust term and also may support individual beneficiaries at certain times. You should discuss these and other more advanced planned giving opportunities with your tax advisors.

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