Your legacy gift to San Francisco Performances will help us remain committed to an ambitious program designed to make an important contribution to the growth and vitality of live performance and arts education in the areas of chamber music, vocal and instrumental recitals, jazz and contemporary dance. The vast majority of legacy gifts are made by bequest through a will or trust.

There are also life income gifts that provide you a steady stream of revenue, offer significant tax advantage, and ultimately benefit us.

In addition, there are many types of legacy gifts you can easily make without incurring the services of your professional advisor. All you need to do is fill out your provider’s paperwork for the following gifts:

• IRA or pension plan
• Stocks and bonds
• Checking account
• Life insurance
• Savings account

The key to setting up these gifts is contacting the institution that holds your asset. Ask them for a beneficiary form. Some firms refer to them as a designation form. Yet others as a “payment on death” form.

It’s important to remember that when you fill out the form, and you also have language in your will or living trust about the same asset, if there is a discrepancy the form takes precedence over the will or trust. This is because you have a contract with the firm, and that form fits within the scope of the contract. The will or trust does not.

Many types of assets, in addition to cash, can be used to make a legacy gift. We encourage you to work with your professional advisors and our staff experts to help you determine which type of legacy gift is best for you.