Q:  What is planned giving?
A:  Planned giving is a process using tax and financial planning methods that allow a donor to achieve both their financial and their philanthropic objectives in the most efficient way possible. Formal devotees of Avatar Adi Da Samraj and interested public can use planned giving to assign one or more Adidam organizations as beneficiaries in their will, trust, or other planned giving instrument.

Q:  What kinds of gifts can I give?
A:  A variety of assets can be donated as gifts to support the legacy of Avatar Adi Da, such as cash and liquid securities. Other assets such as art or collectibles, and intangible assets such as copyrights, patents and royalties, constitute special types of gifts and are also welcome on a case-by-case basis. Please study the Gift Acceptance Guidelines and contact the Samrajya Patronage Development Office if you have a special type of gift.

Q:  Can I make a gift of real property to Adidam?
A:  Yes, in general it is possible to donate and bequeath real estate to Adidam. Please read the Gift Acceptance Guidelines and contact the Samrajya Patronage Development Office to discuss details.

Q:  How can I make a planned gift?
A:  A variety of instruments can be used for planned giving: wills, living trusts, charitable trusts, life insurance policies, pay-on-death accounts, retirement plans, and so on. In each case you can designate one or more Adidam organizations as beneficiaries of your charitable gifts.

Q:  What is the purpose of making a will?
A:  A will and other estate planning tools ensure that your estate is distributed as you direct. No charitable gifts can be made from your estate without such designations being made through a valid will or other estate planning tool.

Q:  What happens if I die without a valid will?
A:  Your probate estate will be distributed in accordance with a formula prescribed by the governing laws in your jurisdiction. You must utilize a will or other estate planning tool in order to designate the charitable interests you wish to benefit in the future.

Q:  Do I need an attorney to make a bequest to Adidam in my will?
A:  Because your will and other estate planning tools are very important legal documents, your questions should be addressed by qualified legal counsel. Please direct your legal advisor to this website and ask your legal advisor to read the Gift Acceptance Guidelines. Staff members of the Samrajya Patronage Development Office and officers of the Adidam organizations are not qualified to give legal advice to prospective donors.

Q:  Are immediate gifts tax-deductible?
A:  The Adidam Holy Samrajya USA is organized under the laws of California as a non-profit religious corporation and is approved in the United States by the Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization.

The Adidam Holy Domains is organized under the laws of California as a non-profit religious corporation and is approved in the United States by the Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization.

The Adi Da Foundation is organized under the laws of California as a non-profit public charity and is approved in the United States by the Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization.

The Adidam Holy Institution is organized under the laws of California as a non-profit religious corporation and is approved in the United States by the Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization.

The “Bright”-House Adidam is organized under the laws of California as a non-profit religious corporation and is approved in the United States by the Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization.

Q:  Where can I find the names, addresses, and EIN numbers for the Adidam organizational entities?
A:  Please view Step III on this page for the official names, addresses, and EIN numbers for the various Adidam organizational entities, to put in your planned giving documents. If you have any questions about the organizational entities, please contact the Samrajya Patronage Development Office.

Q:  Can I assign the copyrights from my intellectual property as part of my planned giving bequest?
A:  Yes. You can donate intellectual property copyrights to Adidam by designating an Adidam organization as beneficiary for each of your copyrights. Photographs and original art or literary works are examples of intellectual property to which you may own the copyright. If you have any questions about bequeathing intellectual property copyrights, please contact the Samrajya Patronage Development Office.

Q:  Can I donate Sacred Prasad articles as part of my planned giving bequest?
A: Yes. As you prepare your will, trust, or other planned-giving instrument, please consider how you will pass on any Sacred Prasad you may have acquired. We encourage you to plan for passing on your Sacred Prasad in a manner that will rightly honor and protect such sacred articles into the future. By specifying beneficiaries for your Sacred articles, you can ensure that all the treasured Prasad items in your possession are received and honored according to your wishes. You may decide to pass your Sacred Prasad on to a devotee, a friend, or a family member, or you may specify an Adidam organization as beneficiary for each of your Sacred Prasad articles so that it may be forever preserved within the cooperative culture and become part of the archival legacy of Adidam. Sacred Prasad articles may be bequeathed to the Adidam Sacred Archives provided the articles are first discussed with representatives of the Sacred Archives. The Sacred Archives looks for unique articles with historical significance. It is vital that the story behind each Sacred Prasad article is provided. The Adidam Sacred Archives is also interested in certain magazines, newsletters, first-edition books, and audio recordings published prior to 1980 which are in excellent shape. The first step in bequeathing Sacred Prasad articles is to make a list of the items including the following information: (1) a brief description and/or photo of the article, (2) the date it was received, (3) your wishes for its disposition, (4) where the article is currently located, (5) the story or Sacred History associated with it. If you have any questions about bequeathing Sacred Prasad articles, please contact the Samrajya Patronage Development Office.

Q:  Can I donate image-art created by Adi Da Samraj as part of my planned giving bequest?
A: Yes. You can donate limited-edition fabrications of Adi Da’s sacred image-art which were fabricated by Da Plastique, by designating an Adidam organization as beneficiary. Please itemize the image-art fabrications and provide the certificates of authenticity. If you have any questions about bequeathing fabrications of Adi Da’s image-art, please contact the Samrajya Patronage Development Office.

Q:  I plan to make a bequest to the Adidam Holy Domains. How can I specify that an amount or percentage of that bequest is used to benefit a specific Sapta Na Sannyasin Hermitage or Ruchira Sannyasin Sanctuary?
A:  Please speak to your legal or tax advisor about the language to make a specific planned giving bequest that maximally accomplishes your charitable giving goals. You may choose to designate a specific Hermitage or Sanctuary to receive a percentage of your planned gift by saying it is “restricted for use at __________ (name of Hermitage or Sanctuary) located in __________ (state and country)”. The full list of Adidam Holy Domains Hermitages and Sanctuaries is on the Sacred Organizations page.

Q:  The Adidam Ruchiradam Fund and Endowment were based in the Adi Da Foundation but have been moved to the Avataric Samrajya of Adidam USA. Do I need to update my planned giving documents accordingly?
A:  Prior to 2022, the Adidam Ruchiradam Fund and Adidam Ruchiradam Endowment were based in the Adi Da Foundation, but they are now housed within the Avataric Samrajya of Adidam USA. If you have already specified your bequest to either of these funds within the Adi Da Foundation, there is no need to change your planned giving documents (although you are welcome to do so), because the Adi Da Foundation will immediately re-assign such bequests to the Avataric Samrajya of Adidam USA and thus honor your gifting intention. However, going forward, bequests to the Adidam Ruchiradam Fund or Endowment should be made to the Avataric Samrajya of Adidam USA. Naturally, the Adi Da Foundation continues accepting bequests for its own purposes.

Q:  How do I make a planned giving bequest to one or more of the Adidam organizational entities if I live outside the United States?
A:  We recommend that you and your legal or tax advisor work with the designated legally-established regional community closest to you for assistance with your charitable giving plans. You may also contact the Samrajya Patronage Development Office directly.

Q:  Can anyone make a gift to Adidam, regardless of religious affiliation?
A:  Yes. Everyone, regardless of religious affiliation, is welcome to make a planned or immediate gift to support the preservation and perpetual availability of Avatar Adi Da’s legacy.

Q:  I need to prepare all my end-of-life planned giving documentation. Does this website provide the necessary forms?
A:  No. Laws relating to probate estates vary among jurisdictions, so we don’t offer forms or templates on adidapatronage.org. You will need to obtain templates for your will, trust, or other planned giving instruments from a qualified estate attorney in your state or country of residence. You may also find samples of such documents online.

Q:  Why does the Adidam Ruchiradam Property LLC use the same EIN as the Avataric Samrajya of Adidam USA?
A:  The Adidam Ruchiradam Property LLC is a limited liability company whose sole member is the Avataric Samrajya of Adidam USA, a (501)(c)(3) tax exempt charitable corporation in the United States.  For federal tax purposes, the Adidam Ruchiradam Property LLC is considered a “disregarded entity” and uses the EIN of the Avataric Samrajya of Adidam USA.

Q:  What about some of the online controversies associated with Adidam?
A:  Some have found controversy in Avatar Adi Da’s life and method of teaching. Read the Adidam community’s response here: www.adidacontroversies.org.