Fisher Legacy Society
Since 1981, Atlas Network has been helping think tanks around the world unshackle the power of individual liberty, free enterprise, and voluntary cooperation.
Founded by businessman and WWII veteran Sir Antony Fisher to counter the movement in Europe toward government-led centralized and socialist policies, Atlas Network exists to help ensure that all individuals have the right to pursue opportunities, enjoy success, and live a life of freedom without coercion or persecution.
This is a multi-generational project, and we need your help to carry it forward.
Supporters who include Atlas Network in their will, make us a beneficiary of retirement accounts, or otherwise include us in other long-term financial planning play a special role in securing our future—and the future of the worldwide freedom movement.
These gifts also entitle supporters to membership in the Fisher Legacy Society.
Why Join the Fisher Legacy Society?
Atlas Network relies solely on voluntary gifts from people like you who share our vision of a free, prosperous, and peaceful world where the principles of individual liberty, property rights, limited government, and free markets are secured by the rule of law.
Fisher Legacy Society members are a special group of donors who are committed to providing the support that fuels the think tanks fostering liberty around the world.
In recognition of their commitment to the future of global freedom, Fisher Legacy Society members receive personal communications from Atlas Network staff, special updates directly from Atlas Network leadership, invitations to exclusive events, and acknowledgment of their generosity by name in our annual report and other materials, as well as at our marquee annual event—the Liberty Forum & Freedom Dinner.
Please know that Atlas Network also respects the wishes of all donors—legacy givers and annual supporters—who prefer to remain anonymous.
How To Give
Ways To Make a Gift that Changes the World, Now and Into the Future
Gifts Through Your Will or Living Trust
One of the most common ways to include Atlas Network in your legacy planning is to make a gift in your will or living trust. When you meet with your attorney, you can make provisions to donate a specific dollar amount, a percentage of your estate, or all or part of what is left after you provide for other heirs. You can also name Atlas Network as a contingent beneficiary.
A bequest or trust distribution is easy to arrange, revocable, and does not affect your assets or cash flow during your lifetime. It will also reduce the value of your estate for federal estate tax purposes and is exempt from state inheritance taxes.
You can include Atlas Network in your will or trust by asking your attorney to add this language:
I give, devise, and bequeath (insert amount, percentage, or remainder of estate) to the Atlas Economic Research Foundation, tax identification number 94-2763845, located at 4075 Wilson Blvd, Ste. 310, Arlington, VA, 22203, for its general operations (or your designated purpose).
Retirement Plans and other Tax-Deferred Accounts
Another popular and tax-effective way to include Atlas Network in your legacy planning is to make us a beneficiary of your 401(k), 403(b), Keogh, or Individual Retirement Account (IRA). You can make us the sole beneficiary or a partial beneficiary—or you can leave us what is left over after making specific gifts for other heirs.
These gifts are also very easy to make. Simply contact your plan administrator and request a beneficiary designation form. Often these forms are also available right on a company’s website.
Gifts from tax-deferred accounts like IRAs and 401(k)s can be especially good candidates for charitable giving because these can be among the most-taxed assets when left to children or other heirs. But, as a tax-exempt organization, Atlas Network can put the full amount of your gift toward our mission to empower the worldwide freedom movement.
Donor-Advised Funds
A donor-advised fund is an investment account established by you exclusively for charitable gifts. Contributions to the fund are tax-deductible and the assets in the donor-advised fund grow tax-free. You may make grant recommendations to a variety of local or national non-profit organizations, and your intent for charitable giving is respected during and after your lifetime. You can also make Atlas Network the beneficiary of some or all of the funds in the account after your passing.
Bank Accounts
You can name Atlas Network as the beneficiary on your bank account, U.S. savings bonds, or U.S. Treasury securities. Your bank can set up a “Totten Trust,” which is an informal arrangement that keeps you in control of your assets during your lifetime. Your accounts do not enter probate and your assets automatically pass to Atlas Network.
Life Insurance
Naming Atlas Network as a beneficiary of your life insurance policy is an excellent way to make a major gift. If you are carrying more life insurance coverage than your obligations require, consider naming Atlas Network the irrevocable owner and beneficiary of your surplus policy.
The gift of a fully paid policy produces a charitable deduction in the amount of the policy’s cash surrender value with no additional cost to you. You may also transfer ownership of the policy to Atlas Network. With a transfer, you can immediately deduct the current value of the policy from your income taxes, and if you are still paying premiums, you can deduct the cost of those premiums each year.
An even simpler way to make a gift of life insurance? Designate Atlas Network as a revocable beneficiary of the policy when your intended beneficiary no longer needs some or all of the funds.
Real Estate
Your gift of residential or commercial real estate can provide significant tax benefits as well as remove the burden of having to sell your property. With a retained life estate, your personal residence is deeded to Atlas Network, but you and your family retain the right to occupy the home for life and will continue to pay real estate taxes, maintenance fees, and insurance on the property.
You are entitled to an immediate tax deduction for a portion of the appraised value, and the property is removed from your estate for tax purposes. You also determine who retains the right to occupy the property before the bequest to Atlas Network is made.
Charitable Trusts and Annuities
Charitable gift annuities, charitable remainder trusts, charitable lead trusts, and other vehicles for planned giving can reduce your potential tax liability and allow you and your heirs more flexibility in your giving. You can discuss establishing a trust or annuity that benefits Atlas Network with your financial advisor, or contact our team and we would be glad to help you get started.
Testimonials
What Do Fisher Legacy Society Members Say About Atlas Network?
George and Marilyn Pearson
“Marilyn and I wanted to provide a legacy gift to Atlas, but we had not completed our estate planning and would not complete it for several years.
Still we recognized the significance of a legacy gift to a vital organization. We wanted to provide something Atlas could draw on immediately if the need arose. And if it was not needed it would be something that would provide more generous support at a later date. To do this we designated Atlas as the beneficiary of a whole life insurance policy which would have a cash value if needed and an insured value at a later date if not needed.
We made a legacy gift before we did our estate planning and chose this approach because it was something we could at the time that would not preclude us from using any of the other options for legacy giving at a later date.”
Kenny Tan
“I joined the legacy society by naming Atlas Network as a beneficiary of my IRA because the Atlas Network has continued to play a key role in my professional development. I'm happy to leave a lasting legacy to the Atlas Network, a truly unique organization that promotes the prosperity of all mankind. I deeply appreciate its cosmopolitan approach in spreading the ideas of freedom through the fostering of international partner organizations and leaders to become effective catalysts for liberty.”
Dan Grossman
“I have had the good fortune to live my life in liberty!
Throughout history and around the world only a tiny percentage of mankind has ever been able to make that statement. The Atlas Network is committed to changing those odds.
I started my own business when I was 22 years old and was fortunate enough to be able to devote my life since 50 to the liberty movement. I quickly observed that our movement had lots of intellectual firepower but less business knowledge. I realized that without the normal signals a competitive market gives many non-profits tried to do a great job but simply didn’t have the tools that businesses take for granted
During the decades since I retired I have tried to do my part to change this.
As I plan for future decades, I continue to be focused on investing as wisely as possible—even if I am not able to personally direct that effort.
Like all believers in liberty I want my financial support to do as much as is possible.
I have been, and remain, deeply involved with the Atlas Network and believe that it is almost unique in being able to leverage its resources as few other organizations can.
I want my support to fulfill my goals in the future. The Fisher Legacy Society is one way to do that. I am confident that the Atlas Network has dedicated, highly professional management, Board governance and a sophisticated approach to investing in liberty.”
Contact Us
Here to Help
Hello, I'm Jennifer Porter, the Strategic Partnerships Advisor here at Atlas Network. Thank you for your interest in joining our planned giving program to create a lasting global impact for the worldwide freedom movement. I'm here to help answer any questions you might have and to welcome you to the Fisher Legacy Society. You can reach me by email at jennifer.porter@atlasnetwork.org .