Create Your Legacy at the Lyman Allyn Art Museum
Planned gifts offer thoughtful and creative ways to prepare for the future while generously supporting the Lyman Allyn.
Leave a legacy that reflects your passion and remains an inspiration for generations to come.
“The true meaning of life is to plant trees, under whose shade you do not expect to sit.”
— Nelson Henderson
Your gift can support any aspect of the Lyman Allyn including expansion and care of the collection, curatorial research and exhibition development, educational initiatives, and capital improvements to the buildings and campus. Whether you wish to put your donation to work today or benefit the Museum after your lifetime, the Lyman Allyn is committed to developing planned gifts that are meaningful to each donor and tailored to fit their financial and estate-planning goals.
Popular types of Planned Gifts*
Bequests (specific, residuary, and contingent gifts made by will) are the most popular type of planned gift. Whether you wish to provide general operating income for us to use as needed, or support a specific program, a bequest is a way to ensure that our programs continue to operate through your generosity. As little as one sentence of bequest language is all that is needed to complete your gift.
A bequest may also help you meet your financial and estate-planning goals since an estate-tax charitable deduction for the entire amount of the gift is allowed. While your will (or codicil) should be prepared by your attorney in consultation with your advisers, we are available to discuss all opportunities with you.
Click here for sample bequest language.
Passionate about supporting the Museum even after your lifetime? It’s not only possible, it’s easy to do with a beneficiary designation. Just name the Lyman Allyn Art Museum as a beneficiary to receive assets such as retirement plans and life insurance policies after you’re gone. You simply fill out a form that is entirely separate from your will—which makes this approach an easy way to give. This form can usually be found on your plan administrator’s website or by contacting them. If needed, our federal tax ID number is: 06-0646663.
Not only is this an easy way to give, but it’s also flexible—you aren’t locked into the choices you make today. You can review and adjust beneficiary designations anytime you want.
You can realize the tax advantages of making a gift now, especially of highly appreciated assets while still receiving income from that asset. Life income options include charitable remainder trusts and charitable lead trusts, each of which have their own estate and charitable planning advantages.
The permanent collection of the Lyman Allyn continues to grow through the generosity of individuals and organizations who donate works of art from their own collections. Donors also provide funding to purchase works for the permanent collection. The continued growth of the Museum’s holdings depends entirely on private support.
The Museum determines if an art gift will be accepted based upon the Lyman Allyn’s Collection Plan. If a work fits into the Museum’s collecting needs, the work can be accessioned following approval from the Board of Trustees.
To begin this process, please contact Ellen Anderson, Director of Development.
Please consider becoming a member of the Lyman Allyn Legacy Society which recognizes those individuals who include the Museum in their estate plans through a bequest, trust provision, retirement plan beneficiary designation, life income gift or other legacy gift.
To join, simply let us know that you have included the Lyman Allyn in your estate plans. By letting us know, we can ensure that we fulfill your gift exactly as you intended. Information you share will be kept confidential and we respect any desire to remain anonymous, but please know that allowing us to list your name(s) in the Legacy Society may help to inspire others.
Benefits of membership include:
- Recognition by name (if you wish) in the Museum’s Honor Roll of Giving
- Invitations to special events
- Special access to the Museum by contacting the Development Department to make arrangements prior to your visit
All inquiries are confidential and without obligation.
For more information about Planned Giving, please contact Ellen Anderson, Director of Development, at [email protected] or 860.373.3238 (mobile).