Wills  and  Trusts  can  include gifts  of  many  kinds. 

• ​Cash: simple and direct, and because its eligible for a charitable income tax deduction, its out-of-pocket cost is less than the dollar amount
• Real Estate:  a personal residence, farm, vacation home or commercial or rental property, offering an immediate charitable deduction and the chance to avoid capital gain tax
• Publicly traded securities:  Stocks, bonds, and mutual funds.  If owned for more than one year and appreciated in value, a gift allows you to avoid capital gain taxation while receiving an immediate charitable income tax deduction
• Personal Property:  A prized collection related to the purpose of Friends, allowing you to deduct its fair market value
• Retirement Funds:  The remainder of your retirement assets, making you eligible for both estate and income tax deductions
• Life Insurance:  A future gift with limited immediate cost, sometimes eligible for an immediate charitable tax deduction. 

An easy way to get started and join the Stong Society is to use our online tool to write your legal will or trust, for free. We’ve partnered with FreeWill so that everyone in our Library community can have access to estate planning resources, and to support the Library for generations to come. 

Get Started for free here

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Ways  to  include  Friends  in  your  estate  planning. 

Downsizing  and  needing  a 
​new  home  for  Your  books?  

Often when closing an estate, there can be a cherished collection of books in need of caring placement as well. We understand that your books are not just books. They, too, carry your legacy and many emotions from a lifetime. Our expert staff has decades of experience working with families of loved ones who have lost their parents and grandparents, and who need to downsize housing arrangements.  We are also experts in assessing used books for retail sale, auction, and donation. For more information, please contact David Silberman at 415.522.8603 or david.silberman@friendssfpl.org. 

Legacy  Giving 

Including Friends of the San Francisco Public Library in your estate planning provides gifts that are an indispensable source of support for Friends, empowering the exceptional difference that the Library, Friends and you make possible.   These can include bequests in wills and trusts, or designating Friends in your retirement and life insurance plans.
 
We think of these gifts in the same way we think of an endowment.  Endowments help an organization create a steady yearly income.  Legacy gifts work similarly – legacy donors actively manage their resources, growing them and ultimately shepherding these funds so that they provide a continued “living endowment” for Friends. 
 
Including Friends in your estate plans brings you membership in our Mary Louis Stong Society. The Co-Founder of Friends in 1961, Mary Louise Stong was a passionate and indomitable advocate for improvements to and support for our Library. In honor of her enduring leadership example, we gather annually to celebrate and recognize supporters who have also included Friends in their estate plans.  Members of the Society are also invited to other events and activities and extended special discounts offered to donors and members.
 
To learn more about planned giving, or to inform us of your estate plans that include Friends, contact Barbara Alvarez, Director of Philanthropy, at 415.477.5231 or Barbara.Alvarez@friendssfpl.org.

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Legal Name: Friends and Foundation of the San Francisco Public Library
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Tax ID Number: 94-6085452 
Sample Bequest Language

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​Legacy gifts should be carefully considered in relation to your comprehensive financial and estate plans. We strongly recommend that you consult an attorney in the preparation of your will and to supervise its execution so as to comply with your state requirements.
 
When including a bequest provision in your will, always use the full legal name and provide the federal taxpayer identification number.

• Our full, legal name is: "Friends and Foundation of the San Francisco Public Library."
• Our federal taxpayer identification number is: 94-6085452.

Unrestricted gifts are recommended, providing dearly needed funds to be used for the greatest need at the time to be determined by the Board and its partnership with San Francisco Public Library.  We recognize that many of you are inspired to make your Legacy gift by a specific program Friends is able to support, or branch that has served you well. We are happy to acknowledge this inspiration for your gift, and hope you can take comfort knowing that funds for legacy gifts are used to fund these very activities and branches where the need is greatest.

Please note, individual financial circumstances will vary. The information on this site does not constitute legal or tax advice. Donor stories and photographs are for purposes of illustration only. As with all tax and estate planning, please consult your attorney or estate specialist. All material is copyrighted and is for viewing purposes only. Use of this site signifies your agreement with the terms of use. The content in this Planned Giving section has been developed for Friends of the San Francisco Public Library by Future Focus. Please report any problems to section webmaster.

To learn more about planned giving, or to inform us of your estate plans that include Friends, contact Barbara Alvarez, Director of Philanthropy, at 415.477.5231 or Barbara.Alvarez@friendssfpl.org.