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Support: Ways to Give

Development pages

Planned giving allows donors to make a significant or long-term commitment to the Ridgefield Library while also considering their own financial planning goals. Planned gifts can benefit the Library’s Annual Appeal or be used to support a number of special giving opportunities. The list below illustrates just a few of the possibilities. Further information is available in private consultation with the Director of Development.  

Create Your Free Estate Plan

Here's a simple way you can get peace of mind while ensuring your loved ones are protected: creating your free estate plan.

This might sound surprising, but having an estate plan in place can help you:

  • Ensure your family, friends, and pets can always count on you
  • Exercise agency over the important decisions in your life, including identifying beneficiaries for your assets
  • Support the Ridgefield Library through a planned gift, at no cost to you today

FreeWill’s online estate planning tool linked below, has helped more than 400,000 individuals create their plans. This resource is easy to use, accessible to all of our community, and 100% free. Take 20 minutes out of your day to create your plans and ensure your future is cared for.

If you are one of our generous supporters who has included a gift to the Ridgefield Library in your estate plans, please fill out this quick form so we can thank you and update our records!  

We are endlessly thankful for our community and the support we receive from you. We hope this New Year brings you success and happiness and thank you for continuing to be a part of the Ridgefield Library.

Start My Free Plan

Pledging a monthly payment to the Annual Appeal or other giving program allows donors to increase their commitment while still managing their cash flow.
Click here to make monthly giving arrangements online.

The Ridgefield Library is pleased to accept gifts of appreciated stock, allowing the donor to make a substantial contribution while avoiding capital gains taxes. The donor may also receive an income tax charitable deduction for the full fair market value of the stock at the time of the gift. To ensure proper credit, please contact us for transmittal instructions.

Donating real property such as a home, vacation property or timeshares, or undeveloped land can provide a tax advantage through the possible elimination of capital gains tax liability as well as through a charitable income tax deduction. Benefit calculations for gifts of real estate vary based on many factors; contact your tax advisor for more information.

Life insurance policies are another very easy way to make a meaningful gift. Name the Library as both the owner and the beneficiary of such a policy, and you are eligible for a charitable deduction approximately equal to the cash value at the time of the gift. There may be other benefits if annual premiums are still being paid; consult your life insurance agent for details.

Also known as the charitable IRA rollover, this provision encourages older Americans to give out of their Individual Retirement Accounts. IRA owners age 70-1/2 or older can exclude up to $100,000 a year from income if the IRA funds are paid directly to certain public charities, including the Ridgefield Library. Otherwise, the IRA owner would have to pay tax on the IRA funds before claiming the deduction. Contact the administrator of your IRA for details.

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