Planned Giving

Your Legacy. Your Impact.

Your legacy is an important part of your life’s work. Your impact develops from a life dedicated to living your values, finding purpose, and your hopes for the future. A legacy donation can help you influence the mental health and wellness of Nova Scotians for generations to come. Planning ahead for your legacy donation may enable you to make a larger gift than you could ordinarily. It can also provide tax advantages or perhaps allow you to realize your legacy during your lifetime. Through your legacy gift, you can make a lasting impact on Nova Scotians living with mental illness and addiction.

Leave a Gift in Your Will

Leaving a gift to the Mental Health Foundation of Nova Scotia is more than just a way to have a long lasting impact for Nova Scotians living with mental health challenges and addiction – it is a promise to provide hope in the future.

When including a gift in your will to the Mental Health Foundation of Nova Scotia, you maintain control of your assets during your lifetime. There are several types of bequests including a cash gift, securities, property, or even a percentage of your estate. This flexibility allows you to look after your loved ones and your estate receives a charitable tax receipt that can decrease estate taxes.

Gifts in wills are the most common and simplest way to leave a legacy for a charity that is meaningful to you.

Click here for Sample Bequest Language

Click here to visit willpower.ca to learn more about leaving a gift for the Foundation in your will.

Gifts of Security

Did you know the Canada Revenue Agency does not apply a capital gains tax on publicly traded securities when they are donated directly to a charity?

HOW DOES THIS BENEFIT YOU?

When shares are sold, there are typically taxes on the capital gains, even if you plan to donate the proceeds. When you donate your securities directly to the Mental Health Foundation of Nova Scotia, the capital gains are not subject to tax, and you will benefit from a tax receipt for the full value of your eligible securities.

AN EXAMPLE: If you purchase shares at $1,000, and the value of those shares increases to $2,500, the capital gains are $1,500. For example, in 2021 under the current tax rules, 50% of the gain ( $750) is added to your taxable income in the year of your donation. If you sell those shares and donate the proceeds, you will owe tax on the $1,500 capital gains. When you donate the shares directly to the Mental Health Foundation of Nova Scotia you do not have to pay the capital gains tax, and your net tax advantage will be larger.

 TO DONATE SECURITIES:

  • Step 1: Talk with your adviser to ensure this is right for you

  • Step 2: Let the Mental Health Foundation of Nova Scotia know that you are interested in donating a gift of securities

  • Step 3: Complete the transfer form to The Mental Health Foundation of Nova Scotia,

  • Step 4: Instruct your broker to transfer your securities to the Mental Health Foundation of Nova Scotia.

 A charitable tax receipt will be issued for the closing price of the securities on the day of the transfer to the Mental Health Foundation.

Should you have any questions, please contact the Foundation team at info@mentalhealthns.ca

RRSPs & RRIFs

Did you know that you can make Mental Health Foundation of Nova Scotia the beneficiary of your registered retirement savings plan (RRSP) or registered retirement income fund (RRIF)?

You can use your asset until your death- and use the charitable tax credit to offset the tax burden on your estate. This enables you to have full access during your lifetime, but pass along a gift in the event of your death. Further, you could name more than one beneficiary of your RRSP or RRIFs to ensure your loved ones are also considered.

To learn more about this option, ask the institution holding these investments for a change of beneficiary form and insert the Mental Health Foundation of Nova Scotia as your new beneficiary. When making a legacy gift through your RRSP or RRIF, you will need to include our legal name, Mental Health Foundation of Nova Scotia, and our charitable registration number: 8586 35675 RR0001.

Please let us know once you decide to pursue this option so that we can work with you to learn how to best honour your legacy.

Life Insurance Policy

For some people, there comes a time when life insurance is no longer needed. Sometimes children have grown up, or there are no heirs. In this case, there are three ways you can make a gift of life insurance to support Nova Scotians living with mental illness and addiction.

Change an existing policy

You can change your beneficiary to the Mental Health Foundation of Nova Scotia. We cannot offer an immediate tax receipt; however, after death, your estate will get a charitable donation receipt. As a result, the income tax payable on your estate’s final tax return can be offset. Your gift will not be subject to probate taxes. 

Transfer ownership of an existing policy

If you’d like to receive immediate tax savings, you can transfer ownership of a policy to the Mental Health Foundation of Nova Scotia. At the same time, make the Mental Health Foundation of Nova Scotia the beneficiary. As a result, a portion of your policy’s value will be taxable as income, but you will receive a charitable donation receipt to offset taxes. If premiums are still owing, you will receive a receipt for every premium you continue to pay on that policy.

Purchase a new policy

You can purchase a new life insurance policy to support the Mental Health Foundation of Nova Scotia. By designating the Mental Health Foundation of Nova Scotia as its owner and beneficiary, you will receive an income tax receipt for your annual premium payments. If you name the Mental Health Foundation of Nova Scotia as beneficiary only, you will not receive an income tax receipt for your premium payments, but your estate will receive a tax receipt for the face value of your policy.

Contact Us to Discuss Your Legacy

At the Mental Health Foundation of Nova Scotia, we share your passion for making a difference in the mental health and wellness of Nova Scotians. Please connect with us today to discuss how you can have a lasting impact with your legacy gift. We encourage you to discuss your planned giving strategy with your financial advisor to determine what legacy gift is right for you.

Lisa Weatherhead, CFRE Director of Development

Lisa.Weatherhead@nshealth.ca
902-464-9954