Gifts from IRAs

Are you looking for a way to make a big difference to help further our mission?

If you are 70 1/2 or older, an IRA charitable rollover is a way you can help continue the Science Center’s work. You can make a gift to the Science Center directly from your IRA without having to pay federal income taxes on the money.

The IRA Charitable Transfer allows individuals age 70 1/2 and older to make direct transfers totaling up to $100,000 per year to 501(c)(3) charities, without having to count the transfers as income for federal income tax purposes. No charitable deduction may be taken, but distributions will qualify for all or part of the IRA owners required minimum distributions.

Transfers must come from your IRA directly to charity. If you have retirement assets in a 401k, 403b or other plans, you must first roll those funds into an IRA, and then you can direct the IRA administrator to transfer the funds from the IRA directly to the Science Center.

Every individual who is the owner of a traditional IRA account, such as your spouse, may use the IRA Charitable Transfer for up to $100,000 each year.

Please make sure your plan administrator knows your gift must be sent prior to December 31 to qualify as an IRA Charitable Transfer. Please contact us when you direct the transfer so we can watch for the check from your IRA administrator.

Check with your plan administrator to find out how to best execute an IRA Charitable Transfer as there may be online options. You may also send a letter to your plan provider to initiate the transfer.

It is helpful to include information and instructions to your IRA administrator:

Your name, phone, address, and email address.
Ask for a qualified charitable contribution from your Individual Retirement Account Number: [insert account number] as provided by the Tax Increase Prevention Act of 2015 and Sec. 408(d)(8) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
Issue a check in the amount of $________ payable to Squam Lakes Natural Science Center at the following address:
Squam Lakes Natural Science Center
PO Box 173
23 Science Center Road
Holderness, NH 03245
TAX ID: 02-0271824
Ask them to inform the Science Center of your name and address as the donor and any other relevant information.

Share this information with your attorney or financial advisor to determine whether this gift plan is right for you. This information is general and does not consider your specific situation or other factors that may be important in making tax and investment decisions. This information is not meant as tax or legal advice.

For more information, please contact Rachel Saliba, Development Director at 603-968-7194 x 126 or email

Naomi Mills, 05/08/21
Beautiful day at SLNSC! Loved the new zip swing and Raptor Exibit! The otters were adorable as usual and the deer were as friendly as ever! 😀
Jason Plant, 12/21/18
Squam Lakes Natural Science Center is a wonderful place for kids and adults alike. The animals are amazing and they are all rehabilitated from either injuries or abandonment at a young age. The atmosphere of this place is great and I highly recommend going and becoming a member to support all of their community efforts and animals!
Amber Norcross, 07/29/22
Always a great way to spend the day with the kids. They never get bored even after several trips, the love the interactive stations throughout the place, and the playground and zipline are a favorite. The giant insects were very cool to see as well. Well worth the membership!
Duane Metz, 07/13/23
I can not say enough about this place! Having received an undergraduate degree in Recreation and Parks, I have a good understanding of what it takes to be successful. This park checks all of the boxes! Most of the animals there (if not all) are rescues, and it is very obvious how much the staff love them! They are in their natural habitats, which allows visitors to better understand how they live. There are a lot of hands-on exhibits, both physical and auditory, so that everyone can learn in the style best suited for them. The signage is well done and informative, and they also had 3 different animal encounters throughout the day. Furthermore, there are 3 trails you can hike, as well as a garden, and everything has signage that makes sure everyone can learn as much about something as they would like. With the fact that they have a nice picnic area just outside the exhibit area, plus a playground further into the park, you can easily find yourself spending anywhere from 2 hours to a full day there. My family and I are visiting from out-of-state, but if we lived nearby, we would definitely buy a membership!
Howard Nash, 10/08/18
Very well presented exhibit on the wildlife of New Hampshire. Coming from the UK, we had some concerns about the moral question of keeping wild animals in cages. This was set against the very obvious great condition of the animals on display and the effort taken to educate on the natural world - a video or even holograph would not have the same impact. The reason we give it only 4 stars is that not enough effort is made to explain why the animals, particularly the large animals, are kept in relatively small enclosures. Looking at the negative reviews that focus on the moral question, your responses are very encouraging. Perhaps you should cut out the middleman and make more effort at the Centre to explain why the animals are maintained in captivity from a conservation perspective.