Planned Giving Program


​Lake Superior Big Top Chautauqua

A Legacy of Love for Big Top Chautauqua

A legacy gift to Big Top Chautauqua is a unique opportunity to demonstrate your lasting support of music under the canvas tent. Your legacy gift to Big Top Chautauqua helps ensure that excellent performance and magic of Big Top continue for coming generations. Members of our Heritage Society are in a position to truly make a difference in the continued quality of Big Top Chautauqua and in Big Top’s ability to meet our mission to provide cultural activities that are entertaining and educational, to celebrate history and the environment, and strengthen community.

Heritage Society

The Heritage Society recognizes those individuals who have made a provision in their will or estate plan to ensure a strong Big Top Chautauqua for generations to come. We are pleased to enter you as a member of Big Top Chautauqua’s Heritage Society, or you may choose to remain anonymous.

What is a Legacy Gift?

A legacy gift is a way to use one or more financial instruments – such as a will, beneficiary designation, or estate plan, to leave money or assets upon death to a non-profit, or invest money to receive income during your life and bequeath remaining funds or a portion of remaining funds to Big Top Chautauqua.

Common ways to Establish a Legacy Gift

1. Bequest - A gift to Big Top Chautauqua at the time of death. A bequest is the simplest type of planned gift and the one easiest to implement.
2. Gift of Retirement Plan Assets  - A gift to Big Top Chautauqua from the assets of a retirement plan that are made at the time of death. This may be the most tax effective way to make a gift.
3. Charitable Remainder Trust - A trust that receives cash or property from the donor, makes payments for the donor’s lifetime or a specified term of years, and then distributes the remainder to Big Top Chautauqua.
4. Simple Estate Gift - Gifts are transferred at time of death directly from bank, financial, and brokerage accounts to Big Top Chautauqua. These gifts avoid income and estate taxes.
5. Gift of Life Insurance - A donor can name Big Top Chautauqua as a beneficiary of a life insurance policy. A gift of life insurance is an option to provide a gift to Big Top Chautauqua without disturbing an estate plan.

Heritage Society sample language.pdf
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Heritage Society Declaration of Intent.pdf
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For further information on how to make a legacy gift to Big Top Chautauqua, please contact our Development Office at 
715-373-5520 or development@bigtop.org