Sostenuto Society

In music, sostenuto is a term from Italian that means “sustained.” On a modern grand piano with three pedals, the middle pedal is usually a sostenuto pedal. It sustains only notes that are depressed at the time the pedal is depressed. Like the sustained notes in music, the American Pianists Association's legacy society, the Sostenuto Society, honors our visionary supporters who choose to perpetuate their commitment to the mission of the American Pianists Association beyond their lifetimes. By joining the Sostenuto Society, members sustain the work of the American Pianists Association for future generations of performers and audiences. You can choose to amend the amount of a legacy gift as your estate grows or circumstances change. There is no minimum Sostenuto Society gift; even a modest gift that you designate is meaningful to our work. You may decide to make your gift an unrestricted one or you may wish to direct it to a particular program area, such as educational programs or jazz or classical programs. You may wish to make your gift to our endowment fund so that you have the satisfaction of knowing that your gift will help fund our programs in perpetuity. The choice is yours.

SOSTENUTO SOCIETY
Become a member of the Sostenuto Society and sustain the work of the American Pianists Association for future generations. Members of all ages are welcome. To become a member simply:
• Name the American Pianists Association as a beneficiary in your estate plan or living trust.
• Name American Pianists Association as a beneficiary of a retirement or life insurance plan.
• Establish a charitable gift annuity or trust that provides lifetime income and tax benefits to you with the remainder serving as your legacy gift to American Pianists Association.

WAYS TO GIVE
Not having a will or plan to dispose of your estate and assets deprives you of the ability to determine financial provisions for your loved ones and for causes, such as the American Pianists Association. Giving through your will can be a convenient way to leave a philanthropic legacy. After providing for your loved ones, you may decide to leave a specific amount of cash, stock, real estate, other valuables or a percentage of your estate to organizations important to you. Often a gift can be arranged simply with the addition of a codicil (amendment) to your existing will.

While a bequest through a will is the most common way to make gifts to organizations through estate planning, many options exist:
• A Charitable Gift Annuity is a contract between you and American Pianists Association in which American Pianists Association agrees to make fixed lifetime income payments to you in exchange for a contribution.
• A Charitable Remainder Trust provides you with an income or a fixed period or life, as you choose.
• A Charitable Lead Trust provides American Pianists Association a leading interest in the assets of a Trust for a predetermined time frame, after which the assets return to your beneficiaries.
• Retirement Plans (IRA’s and pension and profit-sharing plans) and life insurance policies offer additional opportunities for making a planned gift.

Wills, trusts, and other estate plans can be created with the help of your professional legal and financial advisors. As the American Pianists Association is recognized as a 501c(3) charitable organization, the value of a charitable bequest is deductible from your estate, thereby lowering estate taxes.

Let us hear from you
If you have made a provision for the American Pianists Association in your estate plan and would like to become a member of the Sostenuto Society, please contact Julia Holbrook at 317-940-9371 or julia@americanpianists.org.