“The mystic chords of memory, stretching from every battlefield and patriot grave to every living heart and hearthstone all over this land, will yet swell the chorus of the Union, when again touched, as surely, they will be, by the better angels of our nature.”
— Abraham Lincoln – First Inaugural Address 

An Exclusive Program for a Very Special Group of Friends 

Abraham Lincoln closed his First Inaugural Address calling upon the better angels of our nature. In these words, he expressed his hope that the people would do what was right and best for our nation, encouraging them to emulate those who came before by answering the call to action. 

In the spirit of those words the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library Foundation (ALPLF) is pleased to introduce the Better Angels Alliance. This exclusive society recognizes individuals who have had the foresight and generosity to include the ALPLF in their estate plans to benefit the 16th President’s official Library and Museum. They keenly understand that providing philanthropic support is necessary to sustain this great institution well into the future. 

Become a Member 

We invite you to become a member of the Better Angels Alliance. As a member, you will follow in the footsteps of those individuals and organizations who came before, who helped build and establish the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum and who gave so generously of their time, talent, and treasure to ensure this institution would become one of the greatest presidential libraries and museums in the nation, befitting one of our nation’s greatest presidents, Abraham Lincoln.

Special Recognition and Opportunities 

Members of the Better Angels Alliance are honored and recognized by invitations to exclusive events, are given priority notice of special programs and educational opportunities, receive all the benefits of membership and are included in honor rolls in publications, on the website and onsite with other prominent donors.
You are invited to become a member of the Better Angels Alliance by simply including the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library Foundation in your estate plan, and informing us.

Planned Giving Opportunities - Ways to Give 

We encourage you to always consult your legal or financial advisors to remain informed and up-to-date on the most recent tax law changes and to ensure that your gift intentions are clearly defined. There are many ways to make a charitable gift as part of your estate plan. Some popular ways of giving include: 

• Bequest
  A bequest is a donor’s notice of their intention to make a planned gift. It may be modified at any time. A bequest can be for a designated amount, for a percentage of an estate, or as the balance of an estate after providing for bequests of specific dollar amounts or assets to others. Sample language for including the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library Foundation in your Will includes:
  I give $______to the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library Foundation, a sec. 501 (c)(3) charitable organization to be used for its mission and general purposes.
  OR
  I give _____% of the residue of my estate to the Abraham, Lincoln Presidential Library Foundation, a sec. 501 (c)(3) charitable organization, to be used for its mission and general purposes. 

• Life Insurance
  Naming the ALPLF as primary beneficiary of a life insurance policy directs the policy’s proceeds to benefit its mission. Or, the cash surrender value and all future premiums paid on the policy in your lifetime, may be taken as a charitable deduction if you transfer ownership of the life insurance to the ALPLF. Also, you may contribute a “paid up” policy to the ALPLF and receive a charitable tax deduction approximately equal to the cash surrender value of the policy. 

• Individual Retirement Account (IRA) or Other Retirement Plans
  There are a number of tax benefits associated with naming the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library Foundation as a beneficiary of your IRA or retirement plan. These assets are often subject to both income and estate taxes. However, by naming the ALPLF as a beneficiary these assets pass tax-free from your estate ­­— avoiding both income and estate taxes.
  
  Please check with your financial planner on the current status of IRA rollover laws that are currently in effect. 

• Life Income Gifts (Charitable Gift Annuities, Charitable Remainder Trusts)
  A life income gift allows you to give assets at a future date, while providing for yourself or others with either a fixed or variable annual income for a period of time before the ALPLF is permitted to use the gifted assets to advance its mission. You may make a life income gift by transferring securities, cash or other property. While the assets are being managed by ALPLF the income from the assets go to you or your designated beneficiary with the principal of the gift passing to the ALPLF at the appointed time you designate. Gifts using trusts or gifts of real estate provide unique and flexible benefits, while allowing you to plan for your future and for family members after your death. 

The ALPLF welcomes the opportunity to speak with you and your financial planner to help you explore the charitable giving option that works best for you. 

Member Benefits and Recognition 

Individuals who make a planned gift and provide documentation in support of the ALPLF for the benefit of its mission on behalf of the Library and Museum become members of the Better Angels Alliance entitling them to the following benefits:

• All the privileges associated with a Friend membership; 
• Advanced priority invitations to exclusive programs and recognition events; 
• Special recognition in publications including the member magazine Four Score and Seven and Annual Report; 
• Advance notice to the annual Lincoln Leadership Prize dinner; 
• Exclusive Better Angels Alliance membership correspondence and recognition. 

In addition to the benefits of membership, by making a planned gift to the ALPLF you may, depending on the details of your estate plan: 

• Ensure the financial needs of your family;
• Reduce your income tax; 
• Avoid capital gains tax; 
• Retain control of your assets during your lifetime; 
• Modify your estate plan if circumstances change; 
• Diversify your investment portfolio; 
• Make a larger gift and have a greater charitable impact on the ALPLF and the Library and Museum than you thought possible.

The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library Foundation supports the educational and cultural programming of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum; fosters Lincoln scholarship through the acquisition and publication of documentary materials relating to Lincoln in his era; and promises a greater appreciation of history through exhibits, conferences, publications, online services and other activities designed to promote historical literacy.

Making a planned gift to the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library Foundation is an important investment in our future as together we preserve, protect and advance the legacy of the 16th President of the United States. We invite you to join the Better Angels Alliance. Through your foresight and generosity, you will help the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum realize its fullest potential now, and for generations to come.