Philanthropy/Charitable Giving

Total 169 Posts

Scholarships and Other Educational Awards

• • 0 Comments

[caption id="attachment_20501" align="aligncenter" width="413"] CHRIS MEYER/INDIANA UNIVERSITY — Wikipedia[/caption] Student awards are one of the most popular charitable purposes, especially in estates.  Donors often strongly identify with the life changing benefit of direct educational funding to students.  Named scholarship funds are often named and constitute part of the donor’s legacy. Educational awards are such a popular purpose that there are numerous providers.  Of course, there are schools, colleges and universities….

Scholarships and Other Educational Awards Continue Reading »

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

Testamentary Charitable Trusts

• • 0 Comments

[caption id="attachment_20431" align="aligncenter" width="517"] Morris Minor 1000, 1963  (Source: Wikipedia commons)[/caption] From the 19th century to about 1990, the testamentary charitable trust was an important estate planning structure.  These trusts are part of the will and are funded after death from estate assets.  At one time, testamentary trusts were the primary way for an individual to support one or more charities or charitable purposes after death.  But they have been….

Testamentary Charitable Trusts Continue Reading »

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

Family Foundations & the Promise of Harmony

• • 2 Comments

One of the most common philanthropic clichés is that family foundations produce family harmony.  I was recently at a forum of advisors to ultra high net worth clients.  In a moment of candour, someone asked “has anyone used family foundations to promote family harmony, and has it ever worked?”  The answers from the room were uniformly, “yes” and “no”.  Despite the myth of philanthropy as a domestic panacea, the reality….

Family Foundations & the Promise of Harmony Continue Reading »

Estate Planning, Philanthropy/Charitable Giving

AMT and Donations

• • 10 Comments

Changes to the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) rates and rules are scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2024.  For the first time AMT will apply to charitable donations from high-income individuals, which is worrying for charities and donors. Simply, targeting donations is poor tax policy that will produce unintended community harm. There is now a wealth of information on these changes from the charitable and planning community. I have….

AMT and Donations Continue Reading »

Philanthropy/Charitable Giving

Charitable Bequests in Wills

• • 8 Comments

This blog was written by Courtney Lanthier, Law Clerk at Fasken LLP.   We often hear in the news of beloved celebrities passing away after years of lucrative careers. It’s also common to speculate as to how their estate will be distributed. Many celebrities have either left, or plan to leave, the majority of their estate to various charities. Bob Barker, who passed away last month, has left his estate….

Charitable Bequests in Wills Continue Reading »

Charitable Giving, Estate Donations, Estate Planning, In the News, Philanthropy/Charitable Giving, Wills

Gifts of Real Estate, with restrictions

• • 7 Comments

Early in my charitable planning career my employer was offered a donation of islands on Georgian Bay.  Surrounding the 100-year-old family cottage were sheds, cabins and boat houses.  The donors had a vision: it would be a children’s camp. It was a stunning property.  Valuable, despite the sagging, mouse-infested buildings.  But this gift by will was contingent and restricted.  It would be a children’s camp, or nothing at all.  The….

Gifts of Real Estate, with restrictions Continue Reading »

Estate Donations, Estate Planning, Philanthropy/Charitable Giving
Scroll to Top