Life Insurance Policy Gifts

How It Works

You can name TNC as primary beneficiary of your life insurance policy or as contingent beneficiary should your other beneficiaries not survive you.

Please note: You can also irrevocably donate your paid-up life insurance policy - please contact us directly about making this type of gift.

Here's the process:

1. Provide now for a future gift by naming TNC as beneficiary of a policy insuring your life.
2. At death the benefits pass to TNC free of federal estate tax and are applied to the program designated by the donor.

Benefits

• Execute this estate planning strategy with little paperwork. Change your mind and beneficiaries at any time.
• Remove an asset from your potential gross taxable estate, saving on taxes in the future.
• Make a significant gift from income instead of capital.
• Build your future conservation goals.
• Gain personal satisfaction in providing for the causes that matter to you most.

Can It Work for You?

A life insurance gift might be for you if:

• You are a younger donor who wants to make a significant gift.
• You have an estate that won't have substantial assets to distribute to non-family members.

Follow These Steps to Make Sure Your Gift Is Received

1. Request a beneficiary form from your bank or plan administrator. This form—not your will—determines how these assets are distributed after your lifetime.
2. Write in The Nature Conservancy as beneficiary or partial beneficiary using our business address: 4245 North Fairfax Drive, Suite 100, Arlington, Virginia 22203-1606. 
3. If the form requests a social security number, use our tax identification number: 53-0242652. If the form asks for a date of birth, use our date of incorporation: 10/11/1951.
4. Return the beneficiary form to your plan administrator. Send us a copy as well, sharing as much account information as you're comfortable with so we can correctly identify and claim your gift. (e.g., account type, account number, approximate value). Your gift will be used to support global conservation priorities unless you specify otherwise.
5. When creating your will or trust, include a list of your non-probate assets and the beneficiaries' contact information. Also be sure to speak to your executor/trustee about providing copies of death certificates, which most custodians require for beneficiary claims.

More Information

Example: You bought a life insurance policy to protect your family. Your family no longer needs this protection and you decide to name TNC as the beneficiary of the policy. After your lifetime, the policy benefits will go to TNC to help protect critical lands and waters.