Leaving a Legacy with the Christmas Bureau of Edmonton

“What will my legacy be?”  This is a question we often ask ourselves, especially as we enter different stages of our lives. For most of us, that means being remembered for our best qualities and for the positive impact we had on our family, friends and community. Even though Canadians are incredibly generous and supportive of charities during their lifetime, few Canadians realize that they can arrange a legacy gift in their wills or testaments.

Legacy giving – or gift planning – is your opportunity to leave a lasting impact on a beloved charity.  A legacy gift is a charitable donation arranged during a donor’s lifetime, leaving some or all of a donor’s estate to a charity or charities of their choosing.  

This is arranged through careful consultation with your family, lawyer, and/or financial planner. While we are happy to provide you with information about how your legacy gift can help the Christmas Bureau, we’re unable to provide legal, financial or other professional advice.

Leaving a legacy gift is a beautiful way to ensure your memory lives on, while continuing to make a difference in the lives of those in need. There are many financial and tax benefits associated with legacy giving, while also allowing for flexibility to design a legacy that fits your vision.

In a perfect world, our charity would not need to exist.  But unfortunately, the reality is that individuals and families will continue to experience challenging times in their lives, and in some cases leaving them in a position of struggling to provide the basic necessities of life, let alone holiday favourites.  And that is where – together – we have and will continue to step in to help. 

We would be honoured to engage in a conversation with you to explore your philanthropic goals and wishes, and how your legacy gift can help the Christmas Bureau be there to support individuals and families for generations to come.

What is a legacy gift?

A legacy gift is a charitable donation arranged during a donor’s lifetime, leaving some or all of a donor’s estate to a charity or charities of their choosing.

What types of legacy gifts are there?

Legacy Gifts generally are made through: Gifts of Stocks/Securities; Endowment Fund; Gift in Will; Life Insurance Gifts; Retirement Plan Giving; and Charitable Remainder Trust.  More information on each can be found below.

How do I plan for legacy giving to the Christmas Bureau?

We recommend seeking legal and financial counsel as well as discussing your decision with your family. When seeking legal and financial counsel, be sure to use our legal name, Christmas Bureau of Edmonton, and to refer to our registered charity number: 11922 2925 RR0001.  While we are happy to provide you with information about how your legacy gift can help the Christmas Bureau, we’re unable to provide legal, financial or other professional advice.

I’ve discussed my decision with my family and have sought the advice of a financial and legal advisor.  Now what should I do?

We would be happy to assist you in identifying opportunities for legacy giving with the Christmas Bureau of Edmonton.

Connect With Us

Lisa Dayanandan
Manager, Partnerships and Engagement
780-414-7681 
[email protected]

Like many Canadians, you have spent a lifetime contributing to charities. Choosing to donate through a Gift in Will means that your legacy will live on. 

A Gift in Will allows you to make a contribution to your favourite charity(ies) without using any of the money you need during your lifetime and without significantly impacting your loved ones.

The Christmas Bureau has been part of our lives since the lat 1990’s. The assistance it provides to the impoverished during the Christmas season has become an integral part of our community. We have made a bequest from our estate to the Christmas Bureau to ensure this important work continues well into the future."

Dr. and Mrs. Randall Yatscoff

It’s important to consider that a Gift in Will can help reduce the amount of taxes to be levied against your estate. The truth is, when you pass, your estate is likely to receive a hefty tax bill. A Gift in Will can help reduce the taxes owed while leaving money to your heirs. The Canadian government has created some tax incentives to encourage giving to charity, especially from your estate. Click here to learn more about taxes at death.

After taking care of your loved ones, leaving a small percentage of your estate will make a huge difference in the lives of those we support.

Our legal name is Christmas Bureau of Edmonton and our registered charity number is 11922 2925 RR0001.

Connect With Us

Lisa Dayanandan
Manager, Partnerships and Engagement
780-414-7681 
[email protected]

Donating your publicly traded securities (stocks) is a simple and effective way to make a huge impact in the lives of Edmonton families.

When donating your stocks to the Christmas Bureau of Edmonton through the Edmonton Community Foundation, you are able to donate the full amount and will not be taxed on any capital gains.

The stock will be sold and you will receive a tax receipt for the stock’s full value. The value of the stocks will be deposited into the Christmas Bureau of Edmonton’s Endowment Fund at the Edmonton Community Foundation.

By donating stocks, your generosity is maximized to help Edmonton families in need.

This is considered by many to be the most efficient way to give charitably. The benefit to you is that you can give more, and receive capital gains tax savings for you or your estate.

I was interested in making a larger donation to a charity and knowing I would receive the tax benefit by donating securities made the decision easier. The Christmas Bureau benefited from the donation and I benefited by not being taxed on the capital gains. It was a win / win situation and my pleasure to donate."

Our legal name is Christmas Bureau of Edmonton and our registered charity number is 11922 2925 RR0001.

Connect With Us

Lisa Dayanandan
Manager, Partnerships and Engagement
780-414-7681 
[email protected]

You can choose to donate a portion of the policy payout, which can qualify you for a donation cash credit.  Or you can add the Christmas Bureau as a beneficiary. These gifts can be applied to an existing policy, or to one that is newly purchased.

Our legal name is Christmas Bureau of Edmonton and our registered charity number is 11922 2925 RR0001.

To make a gift with your retirement plan, simply designate the Christmas Bureau as a beneficiary of your qualified retirement plan. Depending on your age at the time of donation, your lawyer can also advise you regarding income tax benefits imposed on any heirs and your estate.

Our legal name is Christmas Bureau of Edmonton and our registered charity number is 11922 2925 RR0001.

Charitable remainder trusts provide flexibility when planning your estate, and offer a means of directing your assets – whether cash, or securities - and making future gifts to a charitable organization you support, such as the Christmas Bureau. You can receive tax benefits for the gift during your lifetime, and it provides for steady income for you, your surviving spouse or other heirs.

Our legal name is Christmas Bureau of Edmonton and our registered charity number is 11922 2925 RR0001.

You can contribute to the Christmas Bureau Endowment Fund already established through the Edmonton Community Foundation, and help maintain long term funding for the Christmas Bureau of Edmonton. 

Or you can establish your own endowment fund. Many believe that endowment funds are solely for the wealthy. However, anyone can create one! Contributions can be made over a period of time, until the balance reaches $10, 000. Then each year, a percentage of the fund is granted to the charities and causes that mean the most to you. You can name your endowment fund in honour of your family, a loved one, a friend or in any way that is meaningful to you. Funds will be directed to a cause, such as hunger (Christmas Bureau of Edmonton), the arts, homelessness, or one of your choosing.

To learn more about endowment funds, and how to establish your own, please contact the Edmonton Community Foundation at 780-426-0015, or by email at [email protected]

Our legal name is Christmas Bureau of Edmonton and our registered charity number is 11922 2925 RR0001.

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