Create Your Will
Use this free online tool from our partners at FreeWill to create your will and leave a gift to JED.
Create your willA Gift in Your Will
Otherwise known as a bequest, a gift in your will or living trust is a simple way to create your legacy and make a lasting impact. Once you have provided for your loved ones, we hope you will consider making suicide prevention and youth mental health part of your legacy by including a gift to JED in your estate plans. You can do so in the following ways:
- Leave a specific dollar amount or percentage of the value of your estate to JED in your will or living trust.
- Leave the remaining amount left over in your estate to JED after all other expenses have been paid.
- Leave either of the above to JED only if your primary beneficiaries do not live longer than you (a contingent gift).
To leave a gift to JED in your will or trust, contact your estate planning attorney with the sample bequest language below. If you do not have an estate planning attorney, consider using this free online tool from our partners at FreeWill to create your will and leave a gift to JED.
Sample bequest language: “I give and bequeath to The Jed Foundation, a nonprofit organization with the federal tax ID number of 13-4131139 with a current mailing address of 745 Fifth Avenue Suite 500, New York, NY 10151, ______________ [amount or percentage of your estate] for its unrestricted use and purpose.”
To email the sample bequest language to yourself or others, please click here.
If you are interested in supporting a specific project or program, we recommend discussing your plans with our gift planning specialists to confirm your wishes can be met by JED.
Resources to include JED in your will
Supporters Like You Truly Make a Difference!
Chris’ Story
“My mom took her own life when I was young. That tragic event made me dedicate my life to trying to find good solutions to issues that torment people.
When I first met with the JED team, I was deeply moved by their work. JED is committed to improving the mental health of youth in America and reducing the risks of self-harm and suicide through common-sense approaches that are research- and evidence-based. They’re the most effective organization supporting the mental health of young people in our country.
We have included JED in our will to ensure this fine organization’s work continues.”
A Gift by Beneficiary Designation
Another easy way to establish your legacy is by naming JED as a beneficiary of an asset, such as:
- Certain bank or brokerage accounts
- Retirement funds
- A life insurance policy
- Residuals from a donor-advised fund
If beneficiaries are properly set for these non-probate assets, ownership can transfer faster than your assets in an estate plan that must go through probate. Designating beneficiaries of these assets could also help your loved ones reduce or eliminate estate taxes and reduce or avoid probate fees.
Resources for beneficiary gifts
Membership to JED’s Legacy Society
You become an honored member of JED’s Legacy Society by including a gift to JED in your estate plans or by designating JED as a beneficiary in your will, trust, life insurance policy, retirement plan, or other financial account. Making this commitment costs you nothing now and can impact youth mental health for decades to come. You’ll be able to maximize the impact of your gift and potentially reduce your family’s tax burden.
Members of JED’s Legacy Society receive invitations to exclusive conversations with JED visionaries and leadership; informational impact updates; and the opportunity to be publicly recognized in our annual report (or the option to remain anonymous if you prefer).
To join JED’s Legacy Society, please fill out this form to get in touch with our gift planning team or let us know about your existing bequest to JED. You can also explore the following resources: