Memorial & Legacy Gifts

Your Gift Makes a Difference!

Thank you for considering Lincoln Children’s Zoo for a legacy gift, donation or memorial honoring your loved one.

Planned Giving

Bequests
Leave a legacy by designating Lincoln Children's Zoo as a percent beneficiary in your will.

Sample Text: “I give ___ percent (%) of the residue of my estate [or ______ and no/100 dollars ($_____)] to the Lincoln Children’s Zoo, a Nebraska nonprofit corporation.”

If you name the Lincoln Children’s Zoo in your trust or will, please let us know so we can ensure that your gift is used according to your wishes. Please contact our development team at (402) 475-6741 ext. 130.

IRA Qualified Charitable Donation

Reduce your taxable income by designating Lincoln Children's Zoo through an IRA Qualified Charitable Donation.

• Must be 70.5 years of age or older.
• An IRAQCD is not taxed, nor is it included in your taxable income.
• Donations made from an IRA can meet all or part of the IRA’s required minimum distribution for the tax year.
• How to establish an IRAQCD
  • Any IRA owner who wishes to make a QCD for 2024 should contact their IRA trustee soon so the trustee will have time to complete the transaction before the end of the year.
  • Normally, distributions from a traditional IRA are taxable when received. With a QCD, however, these distributions become tax-free as long as they're paid directly from the IRA to an eligible charitable organization.
  • QCDs must be made directly by the trustee of the IRA to the charity. An IRA distribution, such as an electronic payment made directly to the IRA owner, does not count as a QCD. Likewise, a check made payable to the IRA owner is not a QCD.
  • Each year, an IRA owner age 70½ or over when the distribution is made can exclude from gross income up to $100,000 of these QCDs. For a married couple, if both spouses are age 70½ or over when the distributions are made and both have IRAs, each spouse can exclude up to $100,000 for a total of up to $200,000 per year.
  • The QCD option is available regardless of whether an eligible IRA owner itemizes deductions on Schedule A. Transferred amounts are not taxable, and no deduction is available for the transfer.

Memorial Options

Funeral Donations
We appreciate donations in memory of loved ones. Checks should be payable to the Lincoln Children’s Zoo. We are not able to accept endorsed checks. Thank you notes and receipts will be provided. Families of the deceased will receive a list of those that donated.

Benches
We are pleased to offer two options of locally crafted benches with custom engraved plaques. Please note, we currently only have one bench with a backrest available, located at the Stegosaurus Dino Dig. Benches are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Contact us about memorializing a bench here.

Children at the Zoo (CATZ) Memberships
Memorial gifts may be used to purchase memberships for families most in need of assistance. The option to place your loved one’s name on the envelope is provided upon request.

Example: This membership is provided in memory of (NAME OF HONOREE HERE).

CATZ Memberships are distributed in April of each year. Please contact our development team for more information, (402) 475-6741 ext. 131.