The Right Tool for the Job

Mature couple smile at camera standing outside in winter.

Fred and Marcie worked hard to balance family, careers, and a variety of commitments in their community. Life was busy, but they had finally made it to that phase people often call “comfortable”. They used this little bump in financial freedom to increase support for their church, as well as giving to a number of…

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No Fear – Just Philanthropy

Black woman smiles at camera with arms crossed, standing outside in an urban setting.

Aliesha* is the sole shareholder of a holding company with an investment portfolio of publicly traded securities. She believes strongly in corporate social responsibility and every year her holding company gives cash donations to a variety of different charities. When her accountant suggested donating publicly traded securities instead of cash, Aliesha feared it would be too…

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Establishing a Generous Legacy

Syed smiles at camera in suit

By any measure, Syed* had done very well in life. In addition to raising a happy family, he had established a number of successful private business ventures and invested well in real estate and the stock markets. He kept his feet on the ground by focussing on the gratitude he felt for his good fortune,…

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Impacting Generations

Impacting Generations

The Konrads have demonstrated generosity since the beginning of their relationship, a value they both hold dear and learned from their parents. “When we got married, we knew that it didn’t take big money to make an impact,” Robert says, “We could have an impact just by giving our time and giving what we could.”…

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Tell Your Story with a Legacy Gift

In Part One, I shared the shocking statistic that a majority of Canadians do not have a current legal will. Sadly, many people avoid the task because they are afraid to think about the end of their life. However, taking a proactive approach to estate planning not only ensures your wishes can be followed but…

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Why a Will?

Buying the farm. Kicking the bucket. Giving up the ghost. Given the number of colourful euphemisms we use to avoid straight talk about death, it’s no wonder people tend to put off writing their will. Many people assume they don’t need a will if their estate is small and their plans are straightforward. However, as my friend…

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Fight “COVID Fatigue” with Generosity

Back in March, the sudden arrival of COVID-19 brought out the best in us as people made grocery and pharmacy runs for elderly neighbours, lined up to clap for health care workers, and wrote messages of hope on windows and sidewalks.  Now we’re entering the eighth month of this pandemic, and it’s no wonder we are all starting to feel fatigued [1]. With…

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Making a Difference with a Gift of Life Insurance

The United Nations Women recently warned that alongside the Covid-19 pandemic, women around the world have suffered a “shadow pandemic” of domestic violence. This is no surprise to Abundance Canada client Christine Kampen, whose early career experience counselling women at a sexual assault centre in Saskatoon and at a transition house for battered women in Abbotsford brought her face…

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The Benefits of a Gift of Life Insurance (Part 2)

The Benefits of a Gift of Life Insurance

A gift of life insurance can be an effective way to support charity. If you need the charitable receipt in your estate and not during your lifetime, you might choose to retain ownership of the life insurance policy and name a charity as the beneficiary.  Naming a Charity as the Beneficiary of a Life Insurance Policy  When you name a charity as the beneficiary of your life insurance policy, you remain the policy owner. …

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