The Legacy Society

For donors who plan their giving across a lifetime.

The Wounded Warriors Legacy Society honors donors who have included the organization in their estate plans — through bequest, retirement-account beneficiary, life insurance, Qualified Charitable Distribution, charitable remainder trust, or charitable lead trust. Members receive permanent recognition and an annual founder briefing. Membership is by self-declaration; no specific dollar threshold required.

Six pathways into the Legacy Society

1. Bequest in Will or Trust

Simplest. Costs nothing today. Fully revocable. Removes the asset from your taxable estate.

Specific dollar amount, percentage of estate, or residue. Ready-to-paste sample language with our exact EIN + legal name + address pre-filled at /api/legacy-giving?vehicle=bequest. Hand to your estate attorney.

2. Retirement Account Beneficiary (IRA / 401(k) / 403(b) / TSP)

Often more tax-efficient than a straight bequest — IRA assets passed to non-charity heirs trigger income tax; gifts to a 501(c)(3) escape that entirely.

Contact your plan administrator (Fidelity, Vanguard, Schwab, T. Rowe Price, TSP, etc.) and request a Beneficiary Designation Form. Add Wounded Warriors with EIN 86-1336741. No attorney required — beneficiary designations override your will for these accounts.

3. Life Insurance Policy Beneficiary

Free, revocable. Two paths: name us as beneficiary, or transfer ownership of a paid-up policy to us (immediate income-tax deduction roughly equal to replacement value).

Contact your insurance carrier and request a Change of Beneficiary form. Add Wounded Warriors EIN 86-1336741.

4. Qualified Charitable Distribution from IRA (age 70½+)

Tax-efficient lifetime giving for IRA holders 70½+. Counts toward your Required Minimum Distribution AND is excluded from your gross income. Annual cap \$108,000 (2026, indexed annually).

Contact your IRA custodian and request a QCD form. Direct transfer to Wounded Warriors EIN 86-1336741. Most major custodians (Fidelity, Vanguard, Schwab, T. Rowe Price, TIAA, USAA / Victory, Edward Jones) have streamlined QCD paperwork.

5. Charitable Remainder Trust (CRT)

Best for large gifts of appreciated assets (stock, real estate, closely-held business). Avoid capital-gains tax on transfer, partial income-tax deduction, lifetime income for you, remainder to us.

Engage your estate attorney + CPA + a CRT trustee (Fidelity Charitable Trust Services, Schwab Charitable, NPT, your local community foundation, or a trust company). Most CRTs require \$100K-\$250K minimum funding.

6. Charitable Lead Trust (CLT)

Inverse of CRT. We receive income for a term of years, then the remainder passes to your heirs at reduced gift/estate tax cost.

Best for multigenerational wealth transfer with charitable intent. Most CLTs are funded at \$250K+. Engage your estate attorney + CPA + trustee.

Why join the Legacy Society

Sample bequest language

I give the sum of $______ [or ____ percent of my residuary estate]
to Wounded Warriors, a Texas nonprofit corporation,
Federal Tax Identification Number 86-1336741,
with its principal office at 1790 Hughes Landing Blvd Suite 400,
The Woodlands, TX 77380, to be used for its general charitable purposes.

Three more sample variants (specific dollar, percentage, residue, contingent) at /api/legacy-giving?vehicle=bequest.

Current Legacy Society members

Founding Legacy Society membership is now open. Members are listed here (anonymously if requested) once you confirm intent. To declare your intention, email partnerships@warriorsfund.org with the subject line "Legacy Society" and: No copies of estate documents are required. Your declaration is honor-system; we honor it permanently.

From the founder

The most meaningful gifts I've seen across Wounded Warriors' first five years aren't the largest dollar gifts — they're the ones structured to outlast the donor. A bequest, a retirement-account beneficiary designation, a QCD that satisfies an RMD while reducing taxable income — these compound. They keep funding our work after the donor is gone. To anyone considering: this is the most consequential thing you can do, and it's often the easiest because the paperwork is simpler than people expect.
— Dillon Parkes, Founder & President

Contact

Email: partnerships@warriorsfund.org · Phone: +1-254-322-6525 · Mailing: 1790 Hughes Landing Blvd Ste 400, The Woodlands TX 77380

For estate-attorney coordination, the founder works with you directly.

Declare Legacy Society membership →