A gift of life insurance
A gift of life insurance is an affordable way to make a significant future gift to Arthritis Society Canada.
You may name Arthritis Society Canada as the beneficiary of a new or existing life insurance policy. A tax receipt will be issued to your estate for the full amount of funds distributed upon your death. These funds are not subject to probate, as they are separate from your other estate assets.
If you plan on taking out a new life insurance policy, consider naming Arthritis Society Canada as owner and beneficiary. In this way, you will receive annual tax receipts for the yearly insurance premiums.
You may also transfer ownership and beneficiary designation to Arthritis Society Canada of any existing partially or completely paid-up policies, if these have finished serving their original purposes. You’ll receive a tax receipt for the cash value, and tax receipts will also be issued annually for the future premiums you pay on the policy.
The benefits of gifting life insurance are:
- tax savings today
- your estate is not diminished to your heirs (because life insurance, by its nature, creates a separate “estate”)
- it is not subject to probate fees or delays in settlement - the full proceeds are payable to Arthritis Society Canada at maturity or death (probate fees do not exist in Quebec)
- you can plan, arrange and announce the gift yourself and you will know that it will occur just as you planned
- it is not a matter of public record; it cannot be contested, unlike a Will
How to make a gift of life insurance
We recommend that you discuss your gift intentions with a life insurance agent and your financial planner. They can help you determine which type of insurance best suits your needs. When you are ready to proceed, get in touch with our Planned Giving team. We’ll be pleased to assist you in completing your gift.
A gift of retirement funds
RRSP or RRIF
You may wish to leave to Arthritis Society Canada some or all of the funds in your Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) or Registered Retirement Income Fund (RRIF). It’s as simple as naming Arthritis Society Canada as a beneficiary.
Distribution of your RRSP or RRIF funds will be made to Arthritis Society Canada and other named beneficiaries separate from the remainder of your estate and will not be subject to probate.
Your estate will receive a tax receipt for the full amount of the funds distributed to Arthritis Society Canada.
This tax credit can be applied to the taxable income on your terminal tax return.
How to donate retirement funds?
Contact your investment advisor or the financial institution holding your retirement funds. They will provide you with a beneficiary form to fill out and return to the institution.
Charitable remainder trusts/Gifts of residual interest
If you have cash or an asset that you have considered leaving to Arthritis Society Canada in your Will but would like the tax benefit now, then a charitable remainder trust or a gift of residual interest may be your answer.
Trusts
Trusts protect assets and ensure that a designated beneficiary will receive them upon your death. You would be entitled to all the income generated within the trust during your lifetime. A lawyer can set up a trust for you.
There are different types of trusts:
- Capital remainder trust - the capital within the trust must remain intact during the donor’s lifetime.
- Charitable remainder trust - can only name a charity as a beneficiary (as opposed to an alter ego trust, which can name other beneficiaries as well). The charity issues a tax receipt for the discounted present value of assets transferred to a charitable remainder trust. The tax credit from this receipt can be used to offset current income. Any unused portion can be carried forward five years.
The trust is the owner of any of its assets. (The individual establishing the trust does not own the assets, so these cannot be included in a Will.) The trust and its assets are not subject to probate and probate fees. The trust also protects against Wills Variation Act claims. Privacy is another advantage of trusts, as they do not become publicly filed documents.
The transfer of an asset that has increased in value since it was purchased will trigger capital gains tax at the time of its transfer to a trust, unless the donor is 65 or older. A person who is 65 or older can transfer assets to an alter ego trust without triggering gains so long as he or she is the only person entitled to the income and capital of the trust during his or her lifetime.
Gifts of residual interest
A gift of residual interest allows you to donate an asset today (personal residence, work of art, investment property) to Arthritis Society Canada, and enjoy the use of it for the rest of your life. A tax receipt is issued for the fair market value of the donated asset. The allowable tax credit is based on the cash amount or market value of the property, your age, and current interest rates.
How to arrange a trust or a gift of residual interest
Discuss your gift intentions with your lawyer, financial advisor or tax advisor. Then you or one of these experts representing you can contact the Planned Giving team to arrange these gifts. Arthritis Society Canada should be consulted well in advance of establishing a charitable remainder trust or a gift of residual interest to discuss terms and conditions required for acceptance and receipting.