Gift 
Saint Louis Zoo Association's Bequest Language
An excellent way you can choose to support the Saint Louis Zoo's mission and leave a lasting legacy is to remember us in your will or trust or to name us as a beneficiary of a retirement account, insurance policy or other asset.
There are a number of ways you can make a bequest to Saint Louis Zoo Association.
In order to make a bequest, you should speak with your attorney. Your attorney can help you include a bequest to Saint Louis Zoo Association in your estate plan. We have provided some basic bequest language to assist you and your attorney.
1. Specific Bequest
If you are considering making an outright bequest to Saint Louis Zoo Association, we recommend the following language. To ensure that the Zoo can accept your gift of personal property or real estate, please contact us to discuss details.
If you are considering making a bequest of a percentage of your estate to Saint Louis Zoo Association, we recommend the following language:
Unrestricted gifts allow the Zoo to use your gift where it is most needed.
If you would like to direct (restrict) your gift to a specific purpose or to honor a loved one, please let us know. We would be happy to work with you and your attorney to help you identify ways to give and ensure your wishes may be fulfilled.
If you are making a restricted bequest, we recommend that your attorney include the following provision to give Saint Louis Zoo Association flexibility should it no longer be possible for Saint Louis Zoo Association to use your gift as you originally intended:
Please contact us if you have any questions about remembering Saint Louis Zoo Association or to request any additional information that might be helpful to you and your attorney.
If you have included a bequest for Saint Louis Zoo Association in your estate plan, please contact us to let us know. We would like to thank you for your future gift!
Types of Bequests
There are a number of ways you can make a bequest to Saint Louis Zoo Association.
Specific Bequest. A specific bequest involves making a gift of a specific asset such as a fixed dollar amount, real estate, a car, shares of common stock, or other property. For example, you may wish to leave your brokerage account assets or a cash gift of $10,000 to Saint Louis Zoo Association.
Percentage Bequest. You may also list the Zoo as a specific-percentage beneficiary of your overall estate to charity. For example, you may wish to leave 10% of your estate to Saint Louis Zoo Association.
Residual Bequest. A residual bequest is made from the balance of an estate after the will or trust has given away each of the specific bequests. A residual bequest involves specifying a percentage of the residue of the estate to beneficiaries. For example, you may wish to leave 30% of the residue of your estate to Saint Louis Zoo Association.
Contingent Bequest. A contingent bequest is made to charity only if the purpose of the primary bequest cannot be met. For example, you could leave specific property, such as a vacation home, to a relative, but the bequest language could provide that if the relative is not alive at the time of your death, the vacation home will go to Saint Louis Zoo Association.
Percentage Bequest. You may also list the Zoo as a specific-percentage beneficiary of your overall estate to charity. For example, you may wish to leave 10% of your estate to Saint Louis Zoo Association.
Residual Bequest. A residual bequest is made from the balance of an estate after the will or trust has given away each of the specific bequests. A residual bequest involves specifying a percentage of the residue of the estate to beneficiaries. For example, you may wish to leave 30% of the residue of your estate to Saint Louis Zoo Association.
Contingent Bequest. A contingent bequest is made to charity only if the purpose of the primary bequest cannot be met. For example, you could leave specific property, such as a vacation home, to a relative, but the bequest language could provide that if the relative is not alive at the time of your death, the vacation home will go to Saint Louis Zoo Association.
Bequest Benefits
A bequest is generally a revocable gift, which means it can be changed or modified at any time. You can choose to designate that a bequest be used for a general
or specific purpose providing peace of mind that your gift will be used as intended. Bequests to qualified charities are exempt from federal estate taxes. If
you have a taxable estate, the estate tax charitable deduction may offset or eliminate estate taxes, resulting in a larger inheritance for your heirs.
Bequest Language
In order to make a bequest, you should speak with your attorney. Your attorney can help you include a bequest to Saint Louis Zoo Association in your estate plan. We have provided some basic bequest language to assist you and your attorney.
1. Specific Bequest
If you are considering making an outright bequest to Saint Louis Zoo Association, we recommend the following language. To ensure that the Zoo can accept your gift of personal property or real estate, please contact us to discuss details.
Bequest of a Specific Dollar Amount
I give and devise to Saint Louis Zoo Association (Tax ID #43-1727309), in St. Louis, Missouri, the sum of _________ and No/100 dollars ($DOLLARS) to be used for its general charitable purposes or to be held and invested by Saint Louis Zoo Association as part of its Endowment.
Bequest of Specific Personal Property
I give and devise to Saint Louis Zoo Association (Tax ID #43-1727309), in St. Louis, Missouri, DESCRIPTION OF PROPERTY to be used for its general charitable purposes or to be held and invested by Saint Louis Zoo Association as part of its Endowment.
2. Percentage BequestI give and devise to Saint Louis Zoo Association (Tax ID #43-1727309), in St. Louis, Missouri, the sum of _________ and No/100 dollars ($DOLLARS) to be used for its general charitable purposes or to be held and invested by Saint Louis Zoo Association as part of its Endowment.
Bequest of Specific Personal Property
I give and devise to Saint Louis Zoo Association (Tax ID #43-1727309), in St. Louis, Missouri, DESCRIPTION OF PROPERTY to be used for its general charitable purposes or to be held and invested by Saint Louis Zoo Association as part of its Endowment.
If you are considering making a bequest of a percentage of your estate to Saint Louis Zoo Association, we recommend the following language:
I give and devise to Saint Louis Zoo Association (Tax ID #43-1727309), in St. Louis, Missouri, ____ percent (___%) of my total estate to be used for its general charitable purposes or to be held and invested by Saint Louis Zoo Association as part of its Endowment.
3. Residual Bequest
I give and devise to Saint Louis Zoo Association (Tax ID #43-1727309), in St. Louis, Missouri, ALL OR A PERCENTAGE of the rest, residue and remainder of my estate to be used for its general charitable purposes or to be held and invested by Saint Louis Zoo Association as part of its Endowment.
4. Contingent Bequest
If (primary beneficiary) does not survive me, then I give and devise to Saint Louis Zoo Association (Tax ID #43-1727309), in St. Louis, Missouri, DESCRIPTION OF PROPERTY to be used for its general charitable purposes or to be held and invested by Saint Louis Zoo Association as part of its Endowment.
Restricted Bequests
Unrestricted gifts allow the Zoo to use your gift where it is most needed.
If you would like to direct (restrict) your gift to a specific purpose or to honor a loved one, please let us know. We would be happy to work with you and your attorney to help you identify ways to give and ensure your wishes may be fulfilled.
If you are making a restricted bequest, we recommend that your attorney include the following provision to give Saint Louis Zoo Association flexibility should it no longer be possible for Saint Louis Zoo Association to use your gift as you originally intended:
Should the future prove that the bequest's designated purpose is no longer viable at the time it is received, Saint Louis Zoo Association may direct the bequest to the next closest initiative.
Contact Us
Please contact us if you have any questions about remembering Saint Louis Zoo Association or to request any additional information that might be helpful to you and your attorney.
If you have included a bequest for Saint Louis Zoo Association in your estate plan, please contact us to let us know. We would like to thank you for your future gift!
