Cedar Circle

The Cedar Circle was established to honor those who choose to include Island Cemetery in their will and/or estate planning. Members enjoy a variety of benefits in gratitude for their generosity, such as invitations to private receptions, recognition in the Annual Report, and more. 

Naming the Friends of Belmont Chapel and Island Cemetery in your will and/or estate plan is a meaningful way to make an impactful contribution to this treasured organization.  

*The Friends of Belmont Chapel and Cemetery is the official name of our 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that assists in the conservation of the Cemetery’s natural beauty and increases public awareness of its historic and natural resources. Be sure to include our full namein your will or estate planning! 

How You Benefit

  • Planned gifts come out of your assets at the time of your death and therefore do not diminish your current income. 

  • You may alter your bequest or trust designation at any time. 

  • Your bequest or trust designation is entirely free from federal estate taxes, whereas if it were left to an individual, a significant amount might go to federal estate taxes. 

  • You receive immediate benefits as a member of the Cedar Circle, such as invitations to private receptions, recognition in the Annual Report, and the personal satisfaction of supporting a place you love. 

How to Give

    • Make a lasting impact by naming the Friends of Belmont Chapel and Cemetery in your bequest. A bequest is a gift made to the Friends of Belmont Chapel and Island Cemetery through your will or trust at the time of your passing, and it costs you nothing in your lifetime.  

    Making an unrestricted bequest is an extraordinary demonstration of your support, because it allows Island Cemetery to allocate your generous gift to support the many aspects of this place of remarkable beauty, including the care of our horticultural collection, preservation and conservation, enhancements to the landscape, educational and public programming, and protection of wildlife habitat.  

    • Types of bequests include: 

    • Cash Bequest
      Island Cemetery receives a specific dollar amount from your estate. 

    • Residuary Bequest
      Island Cemetery receives all or a percentage of the remainder of your estate after the payment of any specific bequests and expenses. 

    • Retirement Plan
      Island Cemetery is designated as a beneficiary of the remainder of your IRA or qualified pension. 

    • Life Insurance
      Island Cemetery is designated as a beneficiary or owner of your life insurance policy. 

  • TRUSTS, ANNUITIES, AND MORE

    • In addition to bequests, other types of planned gifts include: 

    • IRA Distributions

    • Pooled Income Fund 

    • Charitable Remainder Unitrust 

    • Charitable Remainder Annuity Trust 

    • (Deferred)Charitable Gift Annuities 

    • Charitable Lead Trust 

    • Gift of Residence or Farm 

  • To review with your estate planning professional

    The following language in your will would create such a gift:

    “I give the sum of ______________dollars ($___________) [or ____________% of my estate] [or description of securities or other property] to the Friends of Belmont Chapel and Cemetery, a federally tax-exempt 501(c)(3) with offices at 30 Warner Street, Newport, RI 02840. This gift is unrestricted [or a specific designation].

Our Commitment to Our Donors: 

We will not sell, share, or trade our donors’ names or personal information with any other entity, nor send mailings to our donors on behalf of other organizations. 

This policy applies to all information received by The Friends of Belmont Chapel and Island Cemetery, both online and offline, on any Platform (“Platform” includes Island Cemetery’s website and mobile applications), as well as any electronic, written, or oral communications. 

To the extent any donations are processed through a third-party service provider, our donors’ information will only be used for purposes necessary to process the donation.