Sample Language for Your Will or Trust
If you would like the name PETA in your estate plan, the following language may help you and your attorney:
“I give, devise, and bequeath to People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, Inc., federal tax identification number 52-1218336, with the permanent address of P.O. Box 42516, Washington, DC 20015, the sum of $___________________ [or describe the portion of the estate] to be used for its general purposes.”
PETA is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization. PETA’s date of incorporation is August 21, 1980.
We would be happy to work with you and your attorney to help you identify ways to give and meet your charitable objectives. We can also work with you and your attorney to craft language to accomplish your goals.
There are several simple ways to include a gift in your will:
- A general bequest is a gift of specific dollar amount, rather than a specific asset or piece of property
- A specific bequest is a gift of a particular asset (property, jewelry, etc)
- A residuary bequest is a gift made from the remainder of the estate, after all other distributions have been made in accordance with your instructions.
- A demonstrative bequest includes instructions for how a particular asset or dollar amount should be distributed (i.e., X amount from my Vanguard brokerage account)
- A percentage bequest can be a percentage of the residual estate, or a percentage of the entire estate.
For More Information
Before deciding about your estate plan, consult an estate-planning attorney. To learn more about how your gift will be put to use, please contact Tim Enstice, the PETA Foundation’s vice president of planned giving, at 757-962-8213 or Legacy@peta.org.
Your Very Own Planning Toolkit to Help You Get Started

Animal Companion Planning

Sample Beneficiary Designation

Sample Language for Your Will or Trust

Gifts from Donor-Advised Funds

Sample Codicil

For Canadian Supporters

For Trustees and Advisors

For Members Outside the U.S.

Stock Gifts
Watch PETA’s Legacy Planning Workshop >>
Please contact us if you’d like to discuss the gift options available to you and determine which is best for you now and in the future.
This information is not intended as legal or tax advice. For such advice, please consult an attorney or tax advisor. Figures cited in any examples are for illustrative purposes only. California residents: Annuities are subject to regulation by the State of California. Payments under such agreements, however, are not protected or otherwise guaranteed by any government agency or the California Life and Health Insurance Guarantee Association. Oklahoma residents: A charitable gift annuity is not regulated by the Oklahoma Insurance Department and is not protected by a guaranty association affiliated with the Oklahoma Insurance Department. South Dakota residents: Charitable gift annuities are not regulated by and are not under the jurisdiction of the South Dakota Division of Insurance. Please request our Gift Annuity Disclosure Statement for additional information.
Questions? We’re here to help.

Tim Enstice
Vice President of Legacy Gifts, PETA Foundation
501 Front St., Norfolk, VA 23510
757-962-8213