Safeguard your Community through a Legacy Gift with the United Way
These extraordinary, unpredictable times have led many of us to consider what the future holds for ourselves, our families and our communities. Leaving a Legacy Gift in your Will offers an ideal opportunity for you to shape the future you want for Greater Victoria, one that aligns and reflects with your values and vision.
Planned effectively, these gifts can provide you with substantial financial benefits and tax savings, while ensuring that the issues you care about will continue to be supported in the future. When your bequest is eventually realized, you can trust United Way will be here. Your gift will be strategically invested in the community where it is needed most to achieve the greatest impact!
United Way’s Legacy Circle
Donors who have made such a commitment are considered part of the United Way Legacy Circle. We are humbled by the generosity of donors like Bruce Williams and Amanda Wilson, Anna Echols and many others who have pledged to make a long-term, visionary investment in our community.
Benefits of Legacy Giving
- Leave a Legacy that aligns with your values and help shape the future of Southern Vancouver Island
- Gifts are invested in high-performing evaluated programs
- Maximize your tax & estate planning benefits
- Recognition as part of the United Way Legacy Circle
“I have named United Way in my life insurance and my will. I love the ‘umbrella’ of support United Way provides through so many different social services in the region. I also know United Way will definitely be here helping where it’s needed most, long after I’m gone.”
Anna Echols
Ways to leave your gift
There are many options available to you to ensure that Victoria and the Capital Regional District remain a great place to live well into the future, a caring community that looks after its most vulnerable. Legacy gifts can be used in the near term to benefit the community or can be invested in United Way’s Endowment Fund to support future needs of the community in perpetuity. To help you with your planning we have a created a list of resources and options of how you can leave a gift to your community.
Your Legacy Gift to the Community
You can make our community a better place in the future by naming United Way Southern Vancouver Island as a beneficiary in your Will today.
A gift in your Will or Bequest, can be a specific dollar amount, item or gift of property; a residual amount or percentage left after specified amounts have been paid to others; or a donation that is contingent on the passing of other of your named beneficiaries. Other opportunities could include a gift of shares or securities, RRSPs or RRIFs. These types of gifts do not affect your current financial situation and can have significant positive impact on those in need in our community in the future.
Your bequest can help accelerate change to improve the lives of our neighbours who need it most, making our local community stronger.
Will Planning Guide
Creating your Will is one of the most important things you do in your lifetime. It is a lasting testament to you and your accomplishments, and to your vision and values. A Will provides an opportunity to focus on who and what is most important in your life. Having a valid, up-to-date Will in place ensures your last wishes will be respected and followed.
Gifts of Real Estate and Personal Property
You can make a significant investment into the future or your community by giving a gift of real estate or other personal property. A charitable receipt is provided for the market value at the date United Way formally takes ownership. Whether considering making this an immediate donation, or for the future in your will, please contact us to discuss details.
Gifts of Retirement Funds (RRSPs, RRIFs)
You can consider giving monthly gifts to United Way through your RRSP or RRIF while you’re enjoying your retirement. Or you may choose to name United Way as a beneficiary of all or a portion of your retirement funds. You can make this selection known directly on your RRSP or RRIF documents or as indicated in your Will. Proceeds of RRSPS and RRIFs contributed to United Way upon your passing qualify for a charitable receipt to offset taxes payable by your estate.
Gifts of Securities
Giving appreciated securities is one of the most cost effective and tax-effective ways to make a major impact on the issues you care about most.
To include a donation of securities in your Will, you can print off and complete the fillable pdf form here or contact Hazel Braithwaite at hazel.braithwaite@uwsvi.ca or call 250-220-8947
Gifts of Assets Placed in Trust
By establishing a Charitable Remainder Trust, you can donate an income-generating asset to United Way now, and continue to receive the income from it while living. Or, with a Gift of Residual Interest, you can donate an asset of personal value now (i.e. real estate, valuable art) and continue to enjoy the use of it while living.
In both cases, you also benefit from an immediate tax receipt for the donation, and enjoy recognition and appreciation for these future gifts while living.
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Donor-Advised Funds
Donors may create a fund that addresses a community need or idea that they are particularly passionate about. The fund is part of our granting pool and can carry your name or honour the name of someone you would like to be remembered or remain anonymous.
Such a fund may be established with an outright donation, a multi-year donation, or through a legacy gift for the future. It can be utilized over an agreed-upon period, or in perpetuity if the donor requests that the fund be endowed. Donors of named funds also have an option to designate their support to one of the established priority funding areas of United Way Southern Vancouver Island: Isolated Seniors, Families in Need, Mental Health & Addictions. For more information view our brochure
Professional Advisors Toolkit
Click here to access resources for Professional Advisors
Webinar Recordings
Watch our Local Love Café webinar series covering topics including Estate Planning 101 and Retirement Planning
Local Love Café: Estate Planning 101
This webinar covers useful tax and estate planning topics such as; Why you need an estate plan, How to pick an Executor, Avoiding challenges to your Will and the Advantages of Life Insurance. With presentations from Bhavi Tathgar and Maria Raymond of McConnan Bion O’Connor & Peterson, and Neil Chappell and Graham Isenegger of CIBC Wood Gundy.
Local Love Café: Retirement Planning Workshop
Transition and Retirement Coach, Stefa Katamay of Next In Life, delivers this excellent presentation on the opportunities and challenges of retirement. In this informative and interactive session, Stefa provides guidance on finding meaning and purpose in one of life’s major transitions.
For more information contact unitedway@uwsvi.ca