Planned Giving
Signature Theatre's Legacy Giving Society
Legacy Giving Society
A home for storytellers, for generations
Does Signature Theatre hold a special place in your heart? Would you like to see Signature thrive for generations to come? If so, we hope you will consider us as a part of your estate plan and/or as a beneficiary of a charitable trust, retirement plan, or life insurance policy. Your support means that artists, playwrights, and creators can continue to bloom and grow at our Center.
Why it matters
How a planned gift can help
- Make a more significant charitable gift than you thought possible.
- Reduce your income tax and avoid capital gains taxes.
- Leave a legacy without giving up assets during your lifetime.
- Support a theater you love and help us create a lasting community.
Ways to give
Make Signature part of your plan
To make us part of your estate plan, make a bequest to Signature in your will; designate Signature as a beneficiary of an IRA, 401(k), annuity, or life insurance contract; name Signature as a beneficiary; or create a charitable trust. See sample language below.
Sample bequest language
Signature Theatre EIN #: 13-3641560
For an unrestricted gift that allows Signature Theatre to determine how to use the funds based on the most pressing needs, use the following language for your will and/or trust:
“I give to Signature Theatre Company, Inc., a nonprofit organization currently located at 480 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036, ________ [written amount or percentage of the estate or description of property] for its unrestricted charitable use and purpose.”
To designate your provision for a particular purpose:
“I give to Signature Theatre Company, Inc., a nonprofit corporation currently located at 480 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036, ________ [written amount or percentage of the estate or description of property]. This gift should be used for (state purpose). If Signature Theatre determines that it is not possible (or prudent) to administer my gift as originally intended, then Signature Theatre Company, Inc. may, in its sole and uncontrolled discretion, direct the use of my bequest for a purpose related as closely as possible to that stated above.”
Beneficiary designations
Give from your retirement account
At any age you can designate Signature Theatre as the beneficiary of all or a percentage of your Individual Retirement Account, and it will pass to us tax-free after your lifetime. It’s simple — just contact your IRA administrator for a change-of-beneficiary form, or download one from your provider’s website. Signature’s EIN #: 13-3641560.
Income for life
Charitable gift annuities
With a charitable gift annuity, you agree to make a gift to Signature Theatre and we, in return, agree to pay you (and someone else, if you choose) a fixed amount each year for the rest of your life. The balance is used to support our work. This type of donation can provide you with regular payments for life and allow Signature to further our mission. You can also qualify for a variety of tax benefits depending on how you fund your gift.
If you fund your gift annuity with cash or appreciated property, you qualify for a federal income tax deduction if you itemize. In addition, you can minimize capital gains taxes when you fund your gift with appreciated property — and you can fund your gift using your IRA assets.
Planned Giving Questions?
If you have already included Signature in your plans, or you are considering it, we would love to hear from you. A conversation with our Development team carries no obligation and stays confidential — just a chance to talk through what a legacy gift might look like and the difference it could make. Get in touch by filling out the form below, or by contacting our Director of Development, Semra Ercin, at sercin@signaturetheatre.org. Or 646-388-8120 whenever you are ready.