What Can I Donate?
What Can I Donate?
A Charitable Giving Fund allows you to make donations in the form that makes most sense for you. Many charities can only accept cash donations, but we are experts in receiving and receipting in-kind donations of publicly listed securities, mutual funds, and life insurance products. By donating in-kind, the capital gains tax on the appreciation is eliminated.
Cash
Cash donations in Canadian dollars can be made directly from your Raymond James investment account, through Visa/MasterCard, or by cheque made payable to the Raymond James Canada Foundation. Physical cash deposits cannot be accepted.
Securities
Donate marketable liquid securities in kind to eliminate the capital gains tax on assets that have appreciated in value. Securities, including Mutual Funds, must be valued at over $1 and trade on major exchanges.
Insurance
By naming the Foundation as the beneficiary of your life insurance policy, you can provide a sizeable future gift at an affordable current cost, without reducing what you give to family and friends through your estate. If you designate the CGF as the irrevocable beneficiary or owner and beneficiary of your life insurance policy, we will be able to provide you with an official receipt for income tax purposes for the amount of premium you pay each year.
Testamentary 
Name your CGF as a beneficiary in your will to make a significant donation while reducing your estate and probate taxes.You can name a new or existing Charitable Giving Fund as a beneficiary of a life insurance policy, a registered savings account (RRSP, RRIF, or TFSA), or a private foundation.
Third Party 
Individuals or organizations other than the primary donor may make donations to a Charitable Giving Fund and receive tax receipts for those donations. They do not, however, have any granting privileges. The right to recommend grants out of the Charitable Giving Fund remains with the Primary Donor (or a Successor Advisor).
Once a donation has been received and accepted by the Foundation, it is irrevocable and cannot be refunded under any circumstance. All accepted donations are the exclusive property of the Foundation, and the Foundation retains ultimate responsibility for the care and management of these assets.
All charitable donations made to the RJCF of non-liquid securities assets must be reviewed and approved in advance of donation received or tax receipt produced. Complex assets such as insurance policies, real estate or private company shares are evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
When Should I donate?
When Should I Donate?
Strategic charitable giving means aligning your donations with significant life events in order to maximize both the impact of your gift, and the associated tax benefits.
“Last Minute” Donation
An impending tax deadline means you need to make your donation now, but you need time to decide which charities you want to benefit from your gift.
Business Sale
You are contemplating the sale of your company, but want to reduce the associated tax liability.
Executive Stock Options
As an executive of a public company, you have maturing stock options that have appreciated in value and will produce a significant tax liability when exercised. Donating in-kind will eliminate the capital gains tax.
Estate Planning
You and your spouse wish to leave a portion of your estate to charity, but want to avoid the hassle of revising your legal Wills or Trust documents as you decide which organizations to support in the future.
Transition Out of a Private Foundation
Your family has a private foundation but is tired of the high cost and burdens. Transfer the foundation to a Charitable Giving Fund so you can focus on giving, not administration.
What Are the Tax Benefits?
What are the Tax Benefits?
Charitable donations can provide significant tax benefits. We work collaboratively with your Advisor and team of tax specialists to provide customized solutions based on your personal situation.
These are a few of the benefits that your donation can trigger:
Capital Gains Tax Elimination
By donating securities in-kind to the Raymond James Canada Foundation, you can avoid paying capital gains tax on that investment. A tax receipt will be issued for the full fair market value of your gift* on the date the gift is received by the Foundation.
Income Tax Credit
Donations to a Charitable Giving Fund result in an immediate tax credit for the value of your gift*. Individuals can claim up to 75% of the individual’s net income in the year the donation is made, or 100% in the year of death or the year prior to death. Unused tax credits may be carried forward for up to five years following the year of donation, subject to the 75% of net income limit in any year claimed.
Probate Tax Exemption
Assets donated to the fund during your lifetime are no longer part of your estate and therefore are not subject to probate. To gain additional estate-planning benefits from the fund, you may leave a bequest to the fund or name the fund as the beneficiary of a charitable remainder trust, an RRSP or other retirement assets.
Tax Free Growth
A Charitable Giving Fund is an investment fund that lets your initial gift continue to grow without any tax implications for the donor.
*Less any advantage or benefit.
What is the Best Strategy for Me?
What is the Best Strategy for Me?
The Raymond James Canada Foundation provides you with the opportunity to give now, give later, or both. Consult with your Advisor and tax professionals for in-depth guidance on these strategies.
Give Now
By giving to a Charitable Giving Fund during your lifetime, you will receive an immediate tax receipt for the value of your donation. You can then use that receipt to reduce your current income by up to 75%. Any unused portion can be carried forward for up to 5 years.
In addition to the initial donation of $100,000.00 or more, you can make subsequent donations at any time. A charitable donation can help reduce the burden of any significant taxable event, such as an inheritance or the sale of a business.
This strategy is particularly effective in the case of unrealized capital gains. By donating long-term appreciated securities, you’ll avoid capital gains tax on the appreciated portion and receive an immediate charitable tax deduction for the full fair market value of your gift.
Give Later
If you have the desire to create a legacy of giving, but a large donation does not fit into your current circumstances, you can incorporate a Charitable Giving Fund into your estate plan. Naming a CGF as a beneficiary of your Will, life insurance policy, or registered savings account, can reduce estate taxes upon death.
By leaving instructions to establish a Charitable Giving Fund, you can be sure that your gift will be managed and directed as you intended. Due to the complexity of giving after death, large estate gifts to small charities often fail. The Raymond James Canada Foundation will work with your financial and legal team to create a Will and Letter of Wishes to make sure that your requests are carried out as planned. The Foundation will facilitate grants to your intended charitable organizations in the years to come. These instructions will come either from your Letter of Wishes, or from your appointed Successor Advisor.
The Blend
The best way to secure your legacy and take advantage of the tax benefits of a Charitable Giving Fund is to combine the Give Now and Give Later strategies. By planning ahead and making a strategic donation, you can ensure that both your family and your charitable interests are supported during your lifetime and beyond.
When you establish a Charitable Giving Fund during your lifetime, any assets donated prior to death are no longer part of your estate and therefore not subject to probate tax. You will have benefitted from the reduction of income created by your gifts and sowed the seeds of your charitable legacy.
The estate gift will further bolster the Charitable Giving Fund so that your philanthropic legacy will last well into the future.
Contact your RJL Advisor to find out which strategy is right for you.