Planned giving is a method for donating to a charity in the future. Often it is done in the form of a provision in a will or a charitable trust. It is a gift that requires serious thought, beyond simply writing a check. Planned giving has many benefits:

• A charitable deduction based upon Lancaster Farmland Trust’s right to receive the remaining principal.
• A management-free income for the lifetime of the income beneficiaries.
• Avoidance or reduction of long-term capital gains tax when the gift is funded with appreciated property.
• Reduction in or avoidance of probate costs and lower estate tax liability.
• Partnership with Lancaster Farmland Trust in a far more significant way than you may have thought possible.

When you designate Lancaster Farmland Trust as a beneficiary in your planned giving program, you are ensuring that your interest in preserving Lancaster County’s way of life will be realized for years to come.