Legacy Giving

Create a Legacy through the Electronic Frontier Foundation's Long-Term Investment Fund for Digital Civil Liberties

There are many ways you can make a significant gift to EFF that will provide you with tax savings and other benefits. Depending upon your unique financial planning objectives, you can be a major supporter of EFF using any or all of the giving methods described below. It is important, regardless of the size of your estate, to have a properly executed plan to ensure that you, not the courts, determine who will receive your property upon your death. When you create a will or living trust with a qualified advisor, attorney, accountant and/or financial planner, you ensure that your intentions are carried out. You are also ensuring that the needs of the people and organizations you care about will be met. The Development Office is prepared to work closely with you and your financial advisors to explain the benefits of each gift category. We encourage you to consult with your tax advisor for specific information about your own estate and financial planning goals.

Bequests

The amount of a bequest gift is fully deductible for estate tax purposes. Gifts of securities, real property, and business interests may be made as bequests. Some sample language you can use to include EFF in your estate plan: "I bequeath to the Electronic Frontier Foundation, 815 Eddy Street, San Francisco, California 94109, the sum of ______________ ($) dollars for its general purposes."

Gifts of Life Insurance

By naming EFF the owner and beneficiary of an existing policy, you receive a tax deduction for the cash surrender value. You may also decide to make EFF the beneficiary of a life insurance policy. If you make gifts to EFF in the amount of the policy's premiums, you can take a charitable income tax deduction (provided EFF is not obligated to use the payments to cover the policy's premium).

Retirement Plans

You can name EFF as a beneficiary of an Individual Retirement Account (IRA), 401 (k) Plan, 403 (b) Plan, Qualified Pension Plan, or Qualified Profit-Sharing Plan. Transferring these assets to a family member at the death of the plan participant may trigger two potential federal taxes: estate tax and income tax. When a beneficiary is someone other than a spouse, the combination of these taxes could consume most of the assets intended for transfer. Since EFF is a tax-exempt organization, we do not have to pay taxes on the income from the plan. Your plan administrator can provide you with a beneficiary form.

Financial Accounts

By including EFF as a beneficiary of a bank account, brokerage account, mutual fund account, or an asset such as a certificate of deposit (CD), you can provide a legacy gift to support our work. Your estate would receive a charitable deduction equal to the amount of the gift. Simply fill out a beneficiary designation form obtained from the institution holding your account.

Specific language for a bequest

Organization name: Electronic Frontier Foundation
Address: 815 Eddy Street, San Francisco, CA 94109
Tax identification number: 04-3091431
Organization type: Nonprofit organization with 501(c)(3) status
Legal Language: Electronic Frontier Foundation, Inc., a nonprofit corporation, organized and existing under the laws of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and with the principal business address of 815 Eddy Street, San Francisco, CA 94109.

For more information: Please contact Aaron Jue by phone at 415-436-9333 ext. 120 or by email at aaron@eff.org.

Hardware Donations

EFF is always grateful to receive donations of computing equipment and related hardware, which can be of great benefit to our organization's work. However, our needs are specific, and we cannot accept unsolicited equipment.

We are not currently accepting hardware donations. We will update this page as our needs change. Thank you for your interest.

EFF is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization (FEIN 04-3091431) as recognized by the Internal Revenue Service. No goods or services, in whole or in part, were received in exchange for this contribution, therefore, the full fair-market value of your contribution is deductible for income tax purposes in accordance with Internal Revenue Service rules and regulations.

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Organizational Membership

Donations from businesses and other organizations allow EFF to address challenges to digital freedom wherever we are needed most. While EFF does not endorse private companies or their products, we're grateful for their contributions in support of our digital rights work. Learn more about organizational membership here.

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Online Purchases: eBay, No Starch Press

Stock Donations

A gift of appreciated stock generally offers a twofold tax savings. First, you avoid paying any capital gains tax on the increase in the value of the stock. Second, you receive a charitable income tax deduction for the fair market value of the stock on the date it is transferred. Make sure you have owned the stock for a "long-term" period (more than 12 months) to qualify for these tax advantages. Gifts of appreciated stock are fully deductible--up to a maximum of 30% of your adjusted gross income. Please check with your accountant or tax advisor regarding your particular tax status.

To facilitate the transfer of securities, please use the following information:

• Brokerage Firm: Morgan Stanley
• Account Name: Electronic Frontier Foundation
• Contact: Douglas Ingham: 650-926-7621
• E-mail: Douglas.J.Ingham@morganstanley.com
• EFF Account #: 233-055606-950
• DTC #: 0015
• Tax ID #: 04-3091431

Please let us know in advance if you are transmitting securities via DTC by contacting EFF's Donor Relations Manager Daniel de Zeeuw at ddz@eff.org. You may also find it convenient to email him a copy of the letter of authorization from your broker.

Your support of EFF enables us to continue the fight to defend digital freedom for all. Thank you!

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Donate Your Time

EFF relies on financial support from supporters like you, but you can also engage with digital rights issues by becoming a volunteer or spreading the word with the Electronic Frontier Alliance.

DONOR SUPPORT

Email Preferences

Gift Return Policy

Thank you for supporting the Electronic Frontier Foundation and our mission to fight for digital privacy and free speech. Know that your contribution supports crucial legal action, incisive activism campaigns, and security-enhancing technology projects that are changing the world for the better.

Donation Refund Policy

If you have made an error in making your donation or change your mind about contributing to the Electronic Frontier Foundation, we will honor your request for a full or partial refund made within one month of your donation. If you received a donation premium or product with your contribution, it may be neccessary to return this item during the refund process.

To request a refund, email membership@eff.org or call +1 (415) 436-9333 x120. Refunds are returned using the original method of payment. If you made your donation by credit card, your refund will be credited to that same credit card. If you did not make your donation using the eff.org website, please contact the EFF Membership Team with further details.

Recurring Donation Updates

Thanks for supporting EFF as a Sustaining Donor! Your recurring donations go a long way toward defending online freedom every day. Here is some helpful information for those who give at regular intervals throughout the year.

Tax Acknowledgement

If you have set up automated monthly recurring donations through our website, or if we have identified you as a recurring donor by check, you will receive a cumulative receipt for your donations after the end of the calendar year.

Member Cards & Swag

Your member card is valid as long as you are a current Sustaining Donor. You are eligible for a new member gift every twelve months! You can see our current offerings at https://www.eff.org/join. If you would like a new card or your annual member swag, let us know at membership@eff.org.

Online Donation Updates

PayPal: Log in to your PayPal account and adjust your monthly donations as needed.

Credit Card at eff.org: Update your billing information at https://supporters.eff.org/recurring. Feel free to contact the EFF Membership Department at (415)436-9333 x127 for questions or to update the information.  You can also send inquiries to membership@eff.org.

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