Beneficiary designations to St. Jude

Leave a legacy and help save lives by adding a qualified charity such as St. Jude as your beneficiary designation. This tax-free gift can help make cures possible for kids with cancer and other life-threatening diseases.

St. Jude patient McClain with her mom and dad

What is a beneficiary designation?

A beneficiary designation is simply the step of naming a person, foundation, or qualified charity such as St. Jude as a beneficiary of some or all of an asset in the event that the asset's owner passes. These assets could include bank accounts, life insurance policies, IRAs, retirement accounts, investment accounts and more.

How to add a beneficiary designation

Adding a designated beneficiary is simple and only requires a quick conversation with your financial organization or advisor. For some, you may only need to complete a form so that the designation is officially on your file.

As you consider adding a beneficiary designation, be sure to specifically identify the order of beneficiaries:

Primary beneficiary - This is the first level of beneficiaries that may receive your pre-determined allocation of your asset once you pass. You can designate that all of the asset go toward one beneficiary, or you can specify select percentages or portions of the asset between multiple beneficiaries.
Secondary beneficiary - Also known as a contingent beneficiary, this beneficiary receives the allocated amount of the asset if all identified primary beneficiaries pass prior to or simultaneously with the asset's owner. While this may seem unnecessary given the number of primary beneficiaries that you have identified, this is still important and meaningful.

St. Jude patient Adriana with her mom

St. Jude patient Tam

Types of beneficiary designations

You can select a designated beneficiary for a variety of assets. While you should discuss potential beneficiary designations for your specific assets with your financial advisor or professional, these types of assets typically have designated beneficiaries:

401K beneficiary
life insurance beneficiaries
estate beneficiary
savings account beneficiary
checking account beneficiary
donor-advised fund beneficiary

By establishing St. Jude as a designated beneficiary, the allocated funds within the asset will automatically be directed to St. Jude after your lifetime.

ALSAC/St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital does not provide tax, legal or accounting advice. This material is prepared and made available to you for informational purposes only and is not intended to provide or be relied upon for tax, legal or accounting advice. You should always consult a tax professional to determine your particular tax benefits that may result from any particular type of gift to charity.

Please use the following legal name and tax identification:

ALSAC/St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
501 St. Jude Place
Memphis, TN 38105

Tax ID Number:
62-0646012

We are a tax-exempt, charitable institution listed in the Federal Internal Revenue Service Publication #78, "Cumulative List of Organizations," revised IRS Code 501(c)(3).

View the IRS Determination Letter.

Why donate to St. Jude?

Families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food — so they can focus on helping their child live.

When St. Jude opened in 1962, childhood cancer was considered largely incurable. Since then, St. Jude has helped push the overall survival rate from 20% to more than 80%, and we won't stop until no child dies from cancer.

Every child deserves a chance to live their best life and celebrate every moment. When you support St. Jude, you can help make cures possible for kids with cancer. Together, we can save more lives.

Have you left St. Jude in your will or estate plan?

When you give a gift to St. Jude through your will or estate plan, you become a member of the Danny Thomas – St. Jude Society, and we recognize your commitment to the mission of St. Jude in a variety of ways.

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