Close-up detail of a woman's hand resting against a yellow chair. She is wearing gold rings and a multi-stranded pearl bracelet.

Retirement Assets, Life Insurance, and Real Estate

Retirement Assets

Retirement account assets, if left to anyone other than a spouse, may be subject to very high taxation. However, by designating The Met as recipient of any benefits remaining in your retirement plan, you may effectively reduce the taxes on those assets.

Current Giving Opportunity: Donors aged 70 ½ or older may contribute up to $100,000 to charity from their Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs). Such contributions may also qualify as required minimum distributions. Please call the Planned Giving Program at (212) 570 3796 or email planned.giving@metmuseum.org for more information on this tax-advantaged giving opportunity.

Life Insurance

You may wish to make the Museum the beneficiary of a policy.

Real Estate

The gift of your home is a unique and meaningful way to support The Met. You can enjoy the satisfaction of making such a gift during your lifetime—without affecting your current lifestyle—by a special arrangement called a retained life estate. Real estate can also be a valuable asset when used to fund either a charitable remainder trust or a charitable lead trust.