NMHS Legacy Society If you believe we can learn from the past ... Create a legacy to shape the future. In September we received some welcome news: a long-time supporter of the Society notified us that she had designated the National Maritime Historical Society as a beneficiary in her will, allocating a substantial sum from a retirement account. We were immensely grateful for her generosity, and we asked what had prompted her thoughtful, far-sighted gift to support our mission. While she agreed to speak with us about what had influenced her decision and the outcomes she hoped her gift would achieve, she asked to remain anonymous, instead shifting the focus on inspiring others to follow her example by making their own special gift. Her love of the sea and its history had developed over time through her work with the Navy and her marriage to a man with a great interest in all things maritime. She and her husband are both active supporters of the Society and share a passion about its role in promoting our common maritime heritage. “All history is maritime history,” she said. “Water is omnipresent. It’s what connects us. And yet the emphasis on teaching history in today’s education system is dwindling—robbing the next generation of the precious commodity of hindsight. What NMHS is doing is keeping history alive.”
The NMHS Legacy Society—Making Your Mark Making a bequest or other legacy gift to the National Maritime Historical Society is a deeply personal and effective way to support our work. Legacy gifts make a substantial difference in our ability to promote our common maritime heritage and the role seafaring has played in shaping civilization. There are several different ways in which you can make a gift to NMHS; we encourage you to consult your legal or financial advisor to determine which of these ways of giving would work best for you. A gift in your will or living trust is one of the most effective ways to provide for the Society’s future, and allows you to retain your assets during your lifetime. The gift may be included in your will when it is written, or it may be added through a simple codicil or amendment. You may wish to leave NMHS a stated dollar amount, a percentage of your residual estate (what remains after debts,
taxes and specific bequests have been made), or a specific asset, such as securities or other marketable property. In addition, your estate may benefit from a charitable estate tax deduction. Naming the National Maritime Historical Society on a portion of a retirement or life insurance policy is a simple way to provide for NMHS’s future without writing or re-writing your will or living trust. These assets will pass directly to NMHS without going through the probate process. Please speak with your retirement plan administrator or institution for the appropriate documents. We are happy to assist you as you consider a gift to NMHS. For more information, please visit www. seahistory.org/plannedgiving or contact our Director of Development, Jessica MacFarlane, by phone at (914) 7377878 ext. 227 or by email at jmacfarlane@seahistory.org.
Have you already made a planned gift? We hope you will notify us when you have included us in your future planning so that we may thank you and welcome you as a new member of our NMHS Legacy Society. The Legacy Society honors those special supporters who have provided for our future by including NMHS in their estate plans or by establishing a charitable gift annuity. Legacy Society members, if they so choose, are listed in Sea History magazine and serve as an inspiration to others. We thank you for your support! 10
SEA HISTORY 165, WINTER 2018–19