When you think about a legacy, what comes to mind?
Beyond wanting to provide for our families, friends, and loved ones, we want to ensure that our contributions during life can continue to make a difference long after we’re gone.
One way you can do this is through a charitable bequest to United Way of Calgary and Area.
Planned gifts, large and small, create impact in our community for generations to come. Anyone – regardless of age, background, or wealth – can build a charitable legacy and create the future you want for Calgary.
What is a charitable bequest?
A charitable bequest is a gift of any size you make to a charity, such as United Way, in your will. When you trust United Way with your legacy, you’re enlisting the knowledge, care, and guidance of a team of giving experts who know precisely how and where to use your gift to make maximum impact in Calgary.
United Way stewards planned gifts through the Tomorrow Fund, a long-term community investment that reflects donors’ values and vision for the future. After investing these gifts, the dividends are disbursed back into the community, ensuring that the donor’s legacy continues through a gift that keeps giving. The Tomorrow Fund enables United Way to respond to urgent and emerging community issues while strategically planning for the future, making meaningful change for Calgarians.
Creating a will
Having a will is essential. It allows you to control the disposition of your assets, meet your estate planning goals, and benefit those you feel close to, including charitable organizations like United Way. To get started you can use our will planning guide to assist you in collecting and considering information which you and your lawyer can use to help prepare or update your will. It also includes sample language you can use the include United Way in your will.
Building opportunity for your family and beyond
When you include a charitable bequest to United Way in your will, you leave a legacy of philanthropy and gain significant tax and estate planning benefits. A charitable tax receipt can help offset taxes due leaving more for your loved ones. Additionally, leaving a charitable bequest allows you to control the disposition of your assets and meet your estate planning goals, all while supporting causes you care about. It’s a win-win situation that allows you to make a meaningful impact on your community while benefiting your estate.
How to leave a charitable bequest
Leaving a charitable bequest is easier than you think. While it does involve legal and financial aspects, the process can be simplified by working with a professional estate planner or lawyer. A bequest is as simple as designating a specific amount or percentage of assets to United Way in your will.
Make a meaningful difference
A planned gift to United Way is a meaningful way to involve your family in philanthropy and pass down your values of giving back. Your charitable bequest will be stewarded with the utmost care by our team of experts, who have a proven track-record for creating measurable and long-lasting positive impacts. By building a legacy, we can continue to address critical issues and build a better tomorrow for all Calgarians.
If you and your loved ones would like to talk about creating a legacy, we would love to hear from you. You can visit our Planned Giving page to learn more, or contact our Strategic Giving Specialist lamia.binzayyad@calgaryunitedway.org. If you already have a gift in your will to United Way, please contact us so that we can thank you for your incredible generosity, capture your recognition preferences, and to join our Promise Donor email list for exclusive events.
If you are new to Planned Giving, check our Tax Talk Series, where Rick Green, Wealth Strategist at Sagium, shares the Fundamentals of Estate Planning or join us on May 16th for our virtual Tax Talk Seminar on Enhancing Retirement through Philanthropy.