Planned Giving Home

Individuals

Individuals Home

Donor Stories

Our Mission

Museums & Research Centers

Legacy Society

Professional Advisors

Smithsonian Institution Planned Giving

This website provides helpful information for making gifts that advance the Smithsonian's important mission while also providing significant financial benefits to you.

Many friends of the Smithsonian choose to follow in the footsteps of James Smithson, whose bequest to America founded the Smithsonian in 1846. Bequests continue to be one of the most popular planned giving options. Also, a growing number of donors now benefit from gift annuities and charitable remainder trusts, which provide lifetime incomes and the opportunity to leave a significant legacy to America. These and other planned gifts help you combine philanthropy with effective financial and estate planning. Individuals who make planned gifts will be recognized in the Smithsonian Legacy Society.

Thank you for taking the time to explore the benefits of planning giving with the Smithsonian Institution. Your planned gift helps ensure that the Smithsonian will continue to achieve excellence while remaining free and open to all. Contact Us.

Steps to Wise Giving

There are several steps to help you make wise and prudent gifts.

These pages are here to help you learn how gift planning ideas can be of personal benefit. Let us suggest a few steps that would help you in that process.

Benefits for Your Family and the Smithsonian

There are several types of plans that will benefit you, your family, and the Smithsonian through increased income and generous tax savings. To meet our donors and learn their stories, just click on their pictures. (Note: These donor stories are for illustrative purposes. Each story is based on an actual gift case or a combination of cases. The pictures and names may be representative of the actual donors who were involved in either the cases or a combination of cases.)

Current Gifts
As is the case with many families, there are times each year when Jim and Sharon focus their attention on gift giving. For years, they have created a gift list that includes family members, friends and loved ones. More on Current Gifts >>.

A Bequest to Further Good Work
Nancy and David Atkins were dedicated volunteers. Over the years, they had seen many individuals impacted by the good work of the Smithsonian. They wanted to create a legacy to provide future support to continue our mission. More on A Bequest to Further Good Work >>.

Deferred Gift Annuity
Several years ago Larry and Allison invested $30,000 in what they believed to be an attractive stock. It turned out to be a very wise decision, because the value of the stock increased to $100,000 a few years later. More on Deferred Gift Annuity >>.

Major IRA Gift
Tom is a retired CPA. With good investments, his IRA had grown to become over 80% of his total estate. Tom was looking for a way to rebalance his estate. He wanted to make a major gift to the Smithsonian, but needed to protect his home and personal savings. More on Major IRA Gift >>.

Joe Macedo Director of Planned Giving	Thanks very much for visiting us! We would be very pleased to help you. Simply click here to email us, or call us at 888-419-7584 at your convenience.	Alice Grindstaff Planned Giving Officer
Staff photo by Andrea Scharnau

Professional Advisors

We also have a complete tax update service for CPAs, attorneys, CLUs, CFPs, ChFCs, trust officers and other professional friends. The GiftLaw services are made available to all advisors as a free service. We also are always available to assist in helping you provide clients with clear and understandable gift illustrations. If you would like assistance with a gift illustration, please click here.

If you are a professional advisor, you may take the following steps on this site.