A planned gift to the YMCA is the ember that erupts to ignite the potential in our community. 

Planned Giving is the process of making a gift to help provide long-term support for a charity while also solidifying your legacy in the community. Planned gifts are part of a donor's overall financial and estate planning and are typically designed to provide lasting and sustainable financial support to a charitable organization, like the YMCA while potentially providing financial benefits, such as tax advantages. These gifts are often arranged during the donor's lifetime but realized by the charity later, often after the donor's passing. 

Start Your Will Free

Joshua Austin

Joshua Austin 
General Manager of Major and Lead Giving 
905 518  2133 
joshua.austin@ymcahbb.ca 

Different Types of Planned Gifts

No matter your age or life stage, creating a Will allows you to leave a legacy to protect loved ones and support causes you cherish.  

  • This type of gift is made through a donor’s last will and testament. Donors can specify a percentage of their estate, a specific dollar amount, or even specific assets. 

  • The YMCA of Hamilton|Burlington|Brantford has partnered with Willfora, a free resource to help make creating or updating a Will easier than ever. Willfora allows you to create a legal Will online in 20 minutes or less, at no cost to you. 


Start My Will For Free Now
 

In partnership with 
Willfora Logo

Donating appreciated securities to charities can be a strategic and tax-efficient way for individuals to support charitable causes. The key reasons for donating appreciated securities include: 

  • Capital Gains Tax Advantages 
    When individuals donate appreciated securities, such as stocks or mutual funds, that have increased in value since they were acquired, they can potentially avoid paying capital gains taxes on the appreciation. If they were to sell the securities, they would be subject to capital gains tax on the profit. However, by donating the securities directly to a charitable organization, the donor can often receive a charitable deduction for the full fair market value of the securities without recognizing the capital gains. 

  • Tax Deductions 
    Donors are generally eligible for a tax deduction equal to the fair market value of the donated securities. This deduction can be particularly beneficial for individuals who itemize their deductions on their income tax returns. 

  • Maximizing Impact 
    Donating appreciated securities allows donors to maximize the impact of their charitable giving. By contributing assets that have appreciated in value, donors can provide more significant support to the charity without reducing their own after-tax income. 

  • Streamlining the Giving Process 
    Donating securities is often a straightforward process, especially if the donor works with a financial advisor or uses an online platform to facilitate the transfer. It can be a convenient way to give, particularly for individuals who hold a significant portion of their wealth in investment portfolios. 

Donors can name a charitable organization as the beneficiary of a life insurance policy, or they can donate a policy outright.

Donors can designate a charitable organization as the beneficiary of their retirement accounts.

  • CGAs: Donors contribute assets to a charity and, in return, receive a fixed income stream for life. 

  • CRTs: Donors transfer assets to an irrevocable trust, and beneficiaries receive income from the trust for a specified period. Afterward, the remaining assets go to charity. 

If interested in CGAs or CRTs we encourage you to reach out to your financial advisor.  

Legacy & Planned Giving Resources

Legacy Gifts

Everything you need to know about legacy gift

Creating your first Will

Everything you need to know about creating your first will.

We encourage you to speak to your financial advisor and family today.

Donor Spotlight

Ralph & Eileen Connor

"It's a gift for the kids," Ralph Connor had said as he handed a cheque to the YMCA for $200,000 to be invested in the YMCA Endowment Fund. "We want to see them benefit from the YMCA as much as we have."

That generous gift was invested 18 years ago and became the seed for the legacy gift that Ralph and Eileen would leave years later after nearly eighty decades of YMCA involvement.