Create Your Legacy with the CSO
Planned giving is a powerful way to support the Chattanooga Symphony & Opera while creating a legacy that reflects your values and love for music. These thoughtful gifts—made during your lifetime and fulfilled in the future—provide lasting financial stability to ensure the CSO continues to inspire, educate, and enrich our community for generations to come.
Unlike annual contributions that meet immediate needs, planned gifts build long-term resources that strengthen our foundation and allow us to plan with confidence. Whether through a simple bequest or a more structured gift like a charitable annuity that provides lifetime income, every gift—no matter the size—helps sustain artistic excellence, expand education programs, and bring world-class performances to Chattanooga.
By including the CSO in your estate plans, you join a community of visionary supporters whose generosity ensures the future of live orchestral music in our region.
The Encore Society honors individuals who have made a lasting commitment to the Chattanooga Symphony & Opera by including the CSO in their estate plans. Members of the Encore Society are visionary supporters who help ensure the music continues long into the future—sustaining performances, education programs, and community outreach for generations to come.
By joining the Encore Society, you become part of a special community that shares your passion for music and your belief in the CSO’s enduring impact. We celebrate members with recognition (unless anonymity is preferred), special invitations, and opportunities to connect more deeply with the CSO’s mission and leadership.
Hear From Current Encore Society Members
"In short, I invest in the CSO now and in my estate planning so that music education and music exposure will not disappear." — Susan R., Encore Society Member
"The Symphony is not just about performances in Memorial Auditorium; it is about reaching into our schools, opening doors for children who might otherwise never hear an orchestra live. It is about inspiring young minds, nurturing creativity, and giving them something that stays with them for a lifetime." — Anonymous Encore Society Member
"We both believe that the CSO is essential to the quality of life in Chattanooga, and our support of the Encore Society helps insure that the music will play on when we're no longer around to write the checks.” — Harriett W., Encore Society Member
Guides & Forms
Why Make a Legacy Gift?
Types of Planned Gifts
One of the simplest and most popular ways to leave a legacy. A bequest is a gift made through your will or living trust—often a specific dollar amount, a percentage of your estate, or a particular asset. You can modify your gift at any time, and your estate may benefit from tax savings.
You can name the CSO as a beneficiary of your IRA, 401(k), or other retirement account. This is a tax-efficient way to give: retirement assets left to individuals may be subject to income taxes, while gifts to nonprofits pass tax-free.
Name the CSO as a full or partial beneficiary of your life insurance policy. You can also transfer ownership of a policy you no longer need, which may qualify you for an immediate tax deduction.
These planned gifts provide you with fixed income for life and offer potential tax advantages. After your lifetime, the remaining value supports the CSO. This is a powerful option for donors who want to make a lasting impact while retaining financial security.
Appreciated assets like real estate or stocks can be gifted directly to the CSO, offering significant tax benefits while avoiding capital gains taxes. These gifts may also reduce your taxable estate and can be structured to support the CSO now or in the future.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely not. Planned giving is for anyone who wants to make a lasting impact. Even a small percentage of your estate or a modest retirement account designation can make a meaningful difference.