Leaving a gift in your will to the Hellenic Heritage Foundation is a simple, yet powerful way to play a vital role in shaping the future of Hellenism in Canada.

A gift in your Will allows you to make a major contribution for tomorrow—without impacting your cash flow or savings today. And it provides an opportunity to make a lasting statement of generosity and commitment to your community.

HOW IT WORKS

It’s easy to leave a gift in your Will:

1. Simply include the name of the Hellenic Heritage Foundation in your Will. The donation can be a sum of money, a percentage of your estate or residual gift (the balance of your estate afteryour loved ones have been cared for), or another item of value that you own.
2. Following your death, the Hellenic Heritage Foundation will issuea tax receipt to your estate.

WHY IT MAKES SENSE

• Retain control of your assets during your lifetime
• Provide for loved ones while supporting the future of the HellenicHeritage Foundation
• Make a gift in honour or memory of someone special

NEXT STEPS

1. Start by talking to your lawyer and/or financial planner to discuss what bequest option works best for your goals and needs.
2. If you haven’t yet done so, please fill out the Will confirmation form, and return to us. Filling out this form is not a legal directive—you will still need to write the gift intoyour Will to make sure your wishes are carried out.
3. If you have already included us in your Will, please let us know so that we can show our appreciation.

A Bequest in your Will to HHF

The Hellenic Heritage Foundation can be designated as a beneficiary in your Will. Since the gift is deferred, there are no immediate income tax benefits associated with a bequest; however, this type of gift is eligible for a tax receipt which may be applied to up to 100% of the income (including all assets that are deemed as disposed of) stated on your final return. The receipt may also be carried back and claimed in the year previous to death.

Your bequest to HHF may be one, or a combination, of the following:

• A percentage of your estate
• The residual of the estate
• A specific dollar amount
• Real estate
• Stocks and securities
• Gifts-in-kind (art, rare books, etc.)
• Insurance policies and annuities

Without a properly drafted Will, many of the tax minimization strategies that could be employed might be unavailable or overlooked.

When you are ready to make arrangements for including a charitable bequest in your Will:

• Speak with your lawyer.
• Ensure you have the correct legal name of each charity.
• For Wills already in existence, a codicil can be added to make your wishes known.
• Once you have completed your Will, you should provide each beneficiary charity with a copy of the clauses pertaining to your bequest.  Your intentions can be kept confidential, if you wish.

Estate planning is a continual process. As your life changes so should your estate plans. Not only will changes occur in your personal life, but legislative changes can also affect your estate plans.  Make sure you review your estate plans with an estate professional at regular intervals to ensure it continues to meet your needs.

The Hellenic Heritage Foundation strongly advises you to consult your own legal and or financial advisors to get specific advice regarding your own circumstances, and those of your dependents.

When you are ready to make a bequest in support of HHF, it is preferable that you allow for the broadest possible flexibility for determining how your gift should be used by the Hellenic Heritage Foundation, while at the same time ensuring that the Foundation can carry out your wishes.

Here is an example of suggested wording:

I give and bequeath to the Hellenic Heritage Foundation, Toronto, Ontario, the sum of $________ or ______% of my estate.

We welcome the opportunity to meet with you to discuss your planned giving options.

Legal information:

For CRA purposes, we file under Hellenic Heritage Fund, and indicate that we operate as Hellenic Heritage Foundation, bearing registration number 887769297 RR 0001.

With your advice and guidance, clients can make a much larger gift than they can during their lifetime—while reducing, or even eliminating—the tax burden on their estates. We’re grateful for your partnership, and for the important role you play in helping us make a lasting impact in preserving Hellenic heritage across Canada.