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Beneficiary Designations

Support the World's Children After Your Lifetime

Not everyone wants to commit to making a gift in their wills or estates. Some prefer the increased flexibility that a beneficiary designation provides by using: 

  • IRAs and retirement plans
  • Life insurance policies
  • Donor advised funds
  • Commercial annuities

It is very simple to name UNICEF USA as a beneficiary. Start by requesting a change-of-beneficiary form from your policy administrator or download the form from your provider's website. Make your desired changes and return the form to establish your gift.

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Next Steps

  1. Contact the administrator of your retirement plan, insurance policy or bank account for a change-of-beneficiary form, or simply download a form from your provider's website. 
  2. Decide what percentage (1 to 100) you would like UNICEF USA to receive and name us, along with the percentage you chose, on the beneficiary form. Return the completed form.
  3. Contact our Office of Planned Giving at (866) 486-4233 or LegacyGifts@unicefusa.org to let us know your goals for the gift so we can ensure it is used as you intend.

Legal name: UNICEF USA
Address: 125 Maiden Lane, New York, New York 10038
Federal tax ID number: 13-1760110

Naming the U.S. Fund as My IRA Beneficiary: Karen Biraimah

Karen Biraimah

Karen Biraimah
Legacy Circle Member

Growing up in Oregon, I knew little about the struggles of people around the world to obtain food, housing, basic education, and medical care — essentials that so many of us take for granted. My eyes were opened, however, when I traveled to Africa.

I have volunteered with Operations Crossroads Africa, worked two years in Ghana as a Peace Corps Volunteer, and spent five decades helping with education projects in Togo, Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa and Botswana. During my time in Africa, I saw much needless suffering: young children with distended bellies caused by malnutrition; people dying from tetanus, typhoid, rabies, polio, and intestinal diseases; small scratches on children turning into painful tropical ulcers. Once, I attended the funeral of two young students and their headmaster who died from tetanus because the medicine sent from the capital arrived too late.

While these traumatic memories will always remain with me, so will the humanitarian interventions I witnessed. During my years in Africa, I saw how UNICEF has made an incredible impact on children born into challenging conditions — by not only giving them a better chance at life, but also improving their quality of life through education. I also witnessed firsthand how every contribution, no matter the amount, can make a significant difference in the life of a child.

Over the years, our family has consistently made monthly contributions to UNICEF. Now, as our children are grown and we look forward to retirement, my husband and I are finally able to make a more substantial and lasting contribution to UNICEF by naming them as a beneficiary in our retirement plans. This simple yet critically important decision has provided us with the reassurance that we will continue to help improve the lives of children worldwide long after we are gone.

 

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Information contained herein was accurate at the time of posting. The information on this website is not intended as legal or tax advice. For such advice, please consult an attorney or tax advisor. Figures cited in any examples are for illustrative purposes only. References to tax rates include federal taxes only and are subject to change. State law may further impact your individual results. California residents: Annuities are subject to regulation by the State of California. Payments under such agreements, however, are not protected or otherwise guaranteed by any government agency or the California Life and Health Insurance Guarantee Association. Oklahoma residents: A charitable gift annuity is not regulated by the Oklahoma Insurance Department and is not protected by a guaranty association affiliated with the Oklahoma Insurance Department. South Dakota residents: Charitable gift annuities are not regulated by and are not under the jurisdiction of the South Dakota Division of Insurance.

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A charitable bequest is one or two sentences in your will or living trust that leave to UNICEF USA a specific item, an amount of money, a gift contingent upon certain events or a percentage of your estate.

an individual or organization designated to receive benefits or funds under a will or other contract, such as an insurance policy, trust or retirement plan

"I give to UNICEF USA, a nonprofit corporation currently located at 125 Maiden Lane, New York, New York 10038, or its successor thereto, ______________ [written amount or percentage of the estate or description of property] for its unrestricted use and purpose."

able to be changed or cancelled

A revocable living trust is set up during your lifetime and can be revoked at any time before death. They allow assets held in the trust to pass directly to beneficiaries without probate court proceedings and can also reduce federal estate taxes.

cannot be changed or cancelled

tax on gifts generally paid by the person making the gift rather than the recipient

the original value of an asset, such as stock, before its appreciation or depreciation

the growth in value of an asset like stock or real estate since the original purchase

the price a willing buyer and willing seller can agree on

The person receiving the gift annuity payments.

the part of an estate left after debts, taxes and specific bequests have been paid

a written and properly witnessed legal change to a will

the person named in a will to manage the estate, collect the property, pay any debt, and distribute property according to the will

A donor advised fund is an account that you set up but which is managed by a nonprofit organization. You contribute to the account, which grows tax-free. You can recommend how much (and how often) you want to distribute money from that fund to UNICEF USA or other charities. You cannot direct the gifts.

An endowed gift can create a new endowment or add to an existing endowment. The principal of the endowment is invested and a portion of the principal’s earnings are used each year to support our mission.

Tax on the growth in value of an asset—such as real estate or stock—since its original purchase.

Securities, real estate or any other property having a fair market value greater than its original purchase price.

Real estate can be a personal residence, vacation home, timeshare property, farm, commercial property or undeveloped land.

A charitable remainder trust provides you or other named individuals income each year for life or a period not exceeding 20 years from assets you give to the trust you create.

You give assets to a trust that pays our organization set payments for a number of years, which you choose. The longer the length of time, the better the potential tax savings to you. When the term is up, the remaining trust assets go to you, your family or other beneficiaries you select. This is an excellent way to transfer property to family members at a minimal cost.

You fund this type of trust with cash or appreciated assets—and may qualify for a federal income tax charitable deduction when you itemize. You can also make additional gifts; each one also qualifies for a tax deduction. The trust pays you, each year, a variable amount based on a fixed percentage of the fair market value of the trust assets. When the trust terminates, the remaining principal goes to UNICEF USA as a lump sum.

You fund this trust with cash or appreciated assets—and may qualify for a federal income tax charitable deduction when you itemize. Each year the trust pays you or another named individual the same dollar amount you choose at the start. When the trust terminates, the remaining principal goes to UNICEF USA as a lump sum.

A beneficiary designation clearly identifies how specific assets will be distributed after your death.

A charitable gift annuity involves a simple contract between you and UNICEF USA where you agree to make a gift to UNICEF USA and we, in return, agree to pay you (and someone else, if you choose) a fixed amount each year for the rest of your life.
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