The Charitable Remainder Trust

Income for you, impact for animals

Did you know that there are gifts that can benefit you and the animals we fight for? Like Charitable Gift Annuities (CGAs), Charitable Remainder Trusts (CRTs) provide a way to make a lasting difference for farmed animals while securing steady income and valuable tax advantages for yourself and your loved ones. CRTs are powerful financial planning tools that combine your passion for ending factory farming with smart financial planning, offering both peace of mind and a meaningful legacy for animals. You contribute cash, securities, business interests, or other assets, and in return, you or your beneficiaries receive payments for life or a term of up to 20 years. When the trust term ends, the remaining funds fuel our vital work to end the abuse of farmed animals.

The Humane League works with our trusted partner, the Dechomai Foundation, Inc., to offer CRTs to our supporters in all 50 U.S. states. If you prefer to establish a CRT through your own attorney or financial advisor, The Humane League will gratefully accept the proceeds to fuel our work to spare animals from suffering.

Here’s how it works:

Diagram illustrating how charitable remainder trust works
  • Funding options: Cash, securities, real estate, business interests, or other illiquid assets (with approval)
  • Minimum gift: $500,000
  • Minimum Payout rate: 5%
  • Benefits: Immediate tax deduction, avoid/defer capital gains tax on appreciated assets, income stream for life or up to 20 years
  • Types:
    1. Charitable Remainder Annuity Trust (CRAT): Provides fixed, predictable income payments that remain the same regardless of the trust’s performance
    2. Charitable Remainder Unitrust (CRUT): Provides variable income payments based on a percentage of the trust’s value, recalculated annually. CRUTs also offer flexibility for multiple annuitants and beneficiaries, or complex family arrangements
  • Ideal for: Donors with highly appreciated assets seeking income or support for loved ones and significant tax benefits

Ready to learn more?

If you have any questions for our team, please reach out to Ann Kolakowski, Senior Advisor, Legacy Giving, akolakowski@thehumaneleague.org or 301-531-4306. We’d be happy to speak with you about your philanthropic goals, with no obligation.

The information provided on this site is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, or legal advice. Always consult with a qualified financial advisor or other professional for advice tailored to your specific circumstances.

Join our Legacy Society

Members of our Legacy Society are lifelong partners in our mission to end the abuse of animals raised for food. By making a planned gift (including a CRT) to THL, you leave an enduring legacy of compassion, and empower THL to keep fighting for as long as we are needed.

Other Ways to Give

Together, we can create a world where animals are treated as living, feeling beings. Your generosity will support our high-impact work to dismantle factory farming.

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