Gifts That cost you nothing now
Gifts in a will or by beneficiary designation are two easy ways to secure the future of world-class opera in Houston for years to come — and they don’t cost anything now.
If you have already included a gift in your estate plans to benefit the future of HGO, be sure to let us know so that we may best honor your wishes.
Gifts in a Will
Making a legacy gift in your will or trust is one of the easiest and most popular ways to make a lasting impact for Houston Grand Opera. Once you have provided for your loved ones, we hope you will consider making the cultural enrichment of our community and nation a part of your life story through a legacy gift.
A gift in your will is one of the easiest ways to create your legacy and offers the following benefits:
LASTING IMPACT
Your gift will create your legacy of bringing world-class art, productions, and singers to Houston.
FLEXIBLE
You can alter your gift or change your mind at any time and for any reason.
NO COST
It costs you nothing now to give in this way.
Four simple, “no-cost-now” ways to give in your will
General gift
A general bequest is a gift of a specific amount.
Residuary gift
A residuary gift is a gift of all or a percentage of the remainder of your estate after specific bequests and expenses have been paid.
Specific gift
A specific gift is a gift of a particular piece of property. For example, real estate, funds in a bank account or shares of a corporation.
Contingent gift
A contingent gift takes effect only if the primary beneficiary or beneficiaries do not live longer than you. In other words, your gift is contingent upon whether or not they survive after you.
You can mix these no-cost ways together. For example, you might consider leaving a specific percentage (such as 50%) of the residual to HGO contingent upon the survival of your spouse.
Gifts by Beneficiary Designation
By naming HGO as a beneficiary of these assets, you can power our mission for years to come and establish your personal legacy of contributing to the cultural enrichment of Houston and the nation through diverse and innovative performances, community events, and education projects that reach the widest possible public.
Potential benefits of gifts by beneficiary designation:
Reduce or eliminate taxes
Reduce or avoid probate fees
No cost to you now to give
Create your legacy with HGO
Types of Gifts
Retirement plan assets
You can simply name Houston Grand Opera as a beneficiary of your retirement plan to enrich our diverse community through the art of opera.
Life insurance policies
You can name Houston Grand Opera as a beneficiary of all or a portion of your life insurance policy. With this gift arrangement, HGO will receive the proceeds of your policy after your lifetime. You can change your beneficiary at any time and may reduce your estate taxes.
Bank or brokerage accounts
This is one of the easiest gifts to give and one of the most useful in accomplishing your philanthropic goals. The next time you visit your bank, you can name Houston Grand Opera (Tax ID: 76- 0038314) as the beneficiary of a checking or savings bank account, a certificate of deposit (CD), or a brokerage account. When you do, you’ll take a powerful step toward creating magical operatic performances for generations to come.
Funds remaining in your donor-advised fund
What remains in a donor-advised fund is governed by the contract you completed when you created your fund. When you name Houston Grand Opera as a “successor” of your account or a portion of your account value, you nurture a love of arts through a diverse and innovative program of performances, community events, and education projects that reaches the widest possible public.
How to update a beneficiary designation:
Simply contact your bank, retirement plan administrator, insurance company, or other financial institution to request a beneficiary designation form. You may also be able to log in to your account and update your beneficiaries online.
Please use our legal name: Houston Grand Opera
Include our tax identification number: 76- 0038314
Please let us know so we can ensure that your wishes are carried out.
