Increase Your Social Impact with Values Driven Generosity

Caucasian couple hold hands on a bench, smiling and looking off into the distance on a fall or spring day.

Unlike some financial decisions, giving to charity has always been deeply rooted in personal values. You support organizations that impact the people and places you care about, from wildlife protection to education to international relief and many causes in between. With more than 86,000 registered charities in Canada, generous people have a lot of opportunity…

Read More

The Year-End Dash for Charitable Giving!

Happy black couple walkd down the street arm in arm holding shopping bags.

As the year draws to a close, people are making that last dash to send a charitable donation before the year-end to make the most of their tax credit and support a worthy cause. If it’s the first time you’re making a charitable donation, especially a significant amount, with approximately 86,000 charities to choose from…

Read More

Leaving a Legacy: What Does This Look Like?

Grandma and teenage granddaughter sit on a couch in a sunny living room, smiling and looking at a photo album.

In the charity world, we talk a lot about legacy. But, what does legacy mean and what does it look like to leave one that is meaningful? Let’s take a closer look at this popular term and what it might look like for you. Legacy by Definition Legacy means different things depending on the context.…

Read More

Giving in Retirement

Senior couple smiling and holding dog

Retirement. At twenty, we rarely think about it. At 45, we dream about it. And, at 55 we worry about it. A significant amount of financial planning tends to focus on that time in life when, as the saying goes, we “finally stop working and start living.” But what about our charitable giving? When we…

Read More

A Generosity Mindset

Even though it’s been a few years since my kids were in school, our household still settles back into new routines this time of year. My wife and I sit down in September and fill out the calendar with our various commitments.  While this activity has the potential to feel overwhelming, I’ve found that taking…

Read More

Where There’s A Will (Part Three)

Darlene

In parts one and two of this series I looked at the startling fact that over half of all Canadian adults do not have a current legal will despite the significant consequences of dying intestate. Darlene is an exception to these statistics. Time to Reflect After retiring from a demanding and rewarding career in education,…

Read More

Where There’s A Will (Part Two)

Cecil George Harris

In Part 1, I shared the cautionary tale of David, a client who for many years did not realize the potential consequences of not making a will. However, it is equally important, once you have a will, to keep it up to date. A Dramatic, Last-Minute Will Cecil George Harris became pinned under his tractor on…

Read More

Where There’s A Will (Part One)

David

David* did not have a will. He had not made a specific choice not to have one, he had just never gotten around to meeting with a lawyer and putting his wishes in writing. He had lots of excuses – he felt young, he didn’t want to think about dying, he was estranged from his…

Read More

Make a Statement (Part Two)

Legacy gift

Practical Benefits of Giving to Charity in Your Will In Part One, I looked at why Paul and Janet decided to leave their entire estate to charity and how they went about doing that. Paul and Janet are passionate about protecting the environment, ensuring clean water, and providing education for the next generation. Their Generosity…

Read More