Malcolm Burrows

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Malcolm is a philanthropic advisor with over 30 years of experience. He is head, philanthropic advisory services at Scotia Wealth Management and founder of Aqueduct Foundation. Views are his own. malcolm.burrows@scotiawealth.com

Illiquid Assets and Estate Donations

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Tax relief for an estate donation cannot be claimed until the property is transferred to a charity.  No tax receipt; no tax credits.  If the distribution is after 60 months after death of the donor there is no tax receipt at all.  But what if the estate has illiquid assets that can’t easily be monetized, but may, possibly, be transferred in-kind to a charity? Extended claim period Formally, the tax….

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Estate Administration, Estate Donations, Estate Planning, Philanthropy/Charitable Giving

Estate Donations: Six Years Later

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The 2016 introduction of the Graduated Rate Estate (GRE) regime was accompanied by the “estate donations” rules. These Income Tax Act provisions altered the administrative and tax treatment of gifts by will, as well as direct designation gifts of life insurance, RRSP/RRIFs, and TFSAs.   How are charities and executors managing with these rules six and a half years later? I’d say the experience is mixed. Estate Donation Features Let me….

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Estate Administration, Estate Donations, Philanthropy/Charitable Giving, Uncategorized

Charitable Prizes

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When Lindbergh flew from New York to Paris in 1927, it was inspired by the $25,000 Orteig Prize. Also in the 1920s, when the International Math Union wanted to honour under 40-year-old rising mathematicians, Toronto math superstar J.C. Fields (under)funded a medal that has been awarded ever since. Since the 19th century, charitable prizes have been a way to recognize accomplishments and create change by providing incentives to achieve the….

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Estate Donations, Philanthropy/Charitable Giving

Seven Faces of Philanthropy

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  The Seven Faces of Philanthropy: A New Approach to Cultivating Major Donors is an iconic American fundraising book published in 1994.  In it authors Russ Allen Prince and Karen Maru File neatly categorize charitable profiles.  While written for a fundraising audience, the book is a helpful reminder that charitable motivations are diverse.  There is not a single way that donors approach philanthropy. The book focuses on lifetime “major gifts”….

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Charitable Giving, Philanthropy/Charitable Giving

Transparency v Anonymity

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The calls for greater transparency by charities in Canada is growing. Budget 2022 had a few promises of more reporting requirements for registered charities related to donor advised funds and disbursement quota, although the exact measures are still unclear. What does this mean for the charitable tradition of anonymous giving? Anonymity The great Spanish Jewish medieval philosopher Maimonides famously said that the highest form of charity is anonymous. It’s about….

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Philanthropy/Charitable Giving, Uncategorized

Canadian Donation Incentives

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I published a version of this blog three years ago to address the many questions on Canadian tax incentives for donations that I receive.  Since the questions keep coming here is a revised and updated version. Generous but Complex and Opaque Canada has the most generous tax incentives for charitable giving in the world, but few Canadian donors understand what they save and how the system works. Why the paradox? ….

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Philanthropy/Charitable Giving, Uncategorized
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