LEGACY SOCIETY | May 2025

Planning Your Legacy: Donate Through a Bequest

Including a bequest to the Museum of New Mexico Foundation in your will or revocable trust is the most traditional way of leaving a lasting legacy. Trustee Gregory Dove says, “One of the benefits of supporting the museum foundation is that you can benefit a large number of museums. You can help out and donate and serve a lot of different museums and organizations. They’re not all in Santa Fe but include historic sites and archeology throughout the state of New Mexico.”

How a Bequest Works

A bequest is one of the easiest gifts to make. With the help of an attorney, you can include language in your will or trust specifying a gift to be made to family, friends or to the Museum of New Mexico Foundation and designated to the institutions we support as part of your estate plan, or you can make a bequest using a beneficiary designation form.

Sample Language

I hereby give, devise and bequeath _________ and No/100 dollars ($DOLLARS) /or percent (___%) of my total estate, to the Museum of New Mexico Foundation, a nonprofit organization located at PO Box 2065, Santa Fe, NM, 87504-2065, Federal Tax ID #85-0202503, for the Foundation's [and named institution(s)] general use and purpose.

A Bequest may be Made in Several Ways

· Percentage Bequest - make a gift of a percentage of your estate

· Specific Bequest - make a gift of a specific dollar amount or a specific asset

· Residual Bequest - make a gift from the balance or residue of your estate

 

Benefits of a Bequest*

· You receive an estate tax charitable deduction

· You reduce the burden of taxes on your family

· You leave a lasting legacy to charity

* Check with your estate planning advisor.

Contact us If you have any questions about leaving a bequest to us, please contact us. We would be happy to assist you. If you have been so generous as to include a bequest to the Museum of New Mexico Foundation and designated to the institutions we support as part of your estate plan, please take the time to let us know. We would like to recognize you and your family for your generosity.

We’re Here to Help

If you are considering a legacy gift through your retirement account or some other means, we encourage you to contact Laura Sullivan, Director of Planned Giving, at 505.216.0829 or laura@museumfoundation.org. We are happy to assist you through the process and ensure your wishes are honored.

Together, we can preserve the stories, traditions, and artistry that define New Mexico’s rich cultural heritage. Thank you for considering this powerful way to give back.