Planning Your Gift

Giving Options

Gifts By Will

One of the easiest ways to make a gift to Hamilton is to make a commitment through your will. A bequest may take a number of forms, including a specific amount or a percentage of your estate. Upon request, sample testamentary language will be provided.

Retirement Plan Assets

By naming Hamilton as the beneficiary or contingent beneficiary of your retirement plan assets, you can save estate tax and your non-spousal heirs income tax while making a significant impact on the College.

Charitable Gift Annuities

In return for your gift of cash or marketable securities to a gift annuity, Hamilton agrees to make fixed quarterly payments to you, or you and another annuitant, for life. You can claim a charitable income tax deduction, and if the gift is made with appreciated securities, you will save capital gains tax. A portion of your quarterly payments may be tax-free. The minimum gift annuity contribution is $5,000.

Deferred Payment Charitable Gift Annuities

For individuals who may not need immediate income, a deferred payment charitable gift annuity delays the start of payments, most often until retirement. The size of the fixed payment is directly proportional to the deferral period. The minimum deferred payment charitable gift annuity contribution is $2,000.

Charitable Remainder Trusts

Funded with cash, securities and/or real estate, a charitable remainder trust makes payments to you or another beneficiary and ultimately benefits Hamilton. Two versions are available - a charitable remainder unitrust provides variable payments expressed as a percentage of market value on the annual valuation date and a charitable remainder annuity trust provides fixed payments not subject to market fluctuations. The minimum charitable remainder trust contribution is $100,000.

Charitable Lead Trusts

This gift vehicle allows you to distribute assets to heirs at reduced transfer tax cost. You can establish a charitable lead trust, funded with cash or other assets, to provide payments, either fixed or variable, to Hamilton for a given number of years. When the trust terminates, the principal and any appreciation is transferred to heirs. Significant gift, estate, and generation-skipping transfer tax savings can be achieved.

Real Property

You can contribute to Hamilton all or a portion of your residence, vacation home, commercial property or undeveloped land outright or in trust. You also may contribute your primary residence to the College while retaining the right to live in and enjoy it for life.

Tangible Personal Property

Art, antiques, manuscripts, maps and rare books are among the tangible personal property gifts regularly contributed to Hamilton.