Naming Historic Oakland Foundation as the beneficiary of a life insurance policy is another way to make a larger lasting gift with current payment of a smaller premium amount.

Making a bequest to Historic Oakland Foundation in your Will of a certain dollar amount or percentage of your estate is a fairly simple planned gift, but it is important to make sure that all of the requisite formalities for a Will are followed whether it is a new Will or a Codicil (amendment) to your existing Will.

Split interest trusts are trusts where some interest is held by you or another individual, and another interest is held by Historic Oakland Foundation. A Charitable Remainder Trust can allow for a retained lifetime interest with the remainder going to Historic Oakland Foundation after a term of years or the death of the life beneficiary. A Charitable Lead Trust is the reverse, where Historic Oakland Foundation could benefit up front for a term of years with the remainder going to an individual family member.

Gifts of appreciated assets, including stock or real estate, can be more beneficial to all concerned than a sale followed by a gift of cash, the value of which could be diminished by capital gains tax. This can be particularly important for business owners contemplating a sale of the business.