It is with great sadness we must announce our long-time colleague, Rick Braun-Janzen, passed away suddenly on January 8th. Rick was highly regarded by many and a wonderful colleague and friend to those he worked with during his 27 years at Abundance Canada. He was always happy to share his charitable gift planning knowledge or to share a laugh. More recently, nothing gave him more joy than sharing pictures of his grandson Anderson. Rick was instrumental in helping the organization grow and he will be missed by colleagues, donors, and many others in the charitable sector. To view Rick’s full ob ..read more

Donor Advised Funds (DAFs) have become an increasingly popular way for individuals and families to give to charitable causes. These funds provide donors with a flexible, efficient, and tax-effective way to support the causes they care about most. In this article, we will explore what DAFs are, how they work, and why they are becoming an increasingly popular choice for charitable giving. What is a Donor Advised Fund? Think of a DAF like a holding tank. The donor makes a donation to a foundation and receives a charitable receipt for their gift. The foundation manages the donation in a separate f ..read more

Do you own shares in a demutualized insurance company? Demutualization is a process by which a member-owned company, such as a co-op, or a mutual life insurance company legally changes its structure, in order to become a publicly traded company owned by shareholders. Recently, Economical Mutual Insurance Company demutualized and became Definity Financial Corporation (trading on the TSX as DFY). If you were an eligible policy holder of Economical Mutual Insurance Company, you might now be the owner of Definity Financial Corporation shares. How to offset your capital gains tax The demutualized D ..read more

Jack and Linda’s house was quiet now. After more than 25 years of family busyness, all of their children had moved out to start their own careers and families. This new phase of life brought the empty nesters time and space to reflect and reminisce. Retirement was on the horizon, and Jack and Linda were eager to avoid the planning pitfalls they had watched their parents endure. Growing older had not been easy for either of Jack or Linda’s parents, and the family had recently experienced firsthand the anxiety and financial burden that can arise when estate plans are put off ..read more

Don and Renata Hamagami are deeply grateful for the life they share. “We like to serve,” says Don. “It helps us to have more fun as a family knowing we’re trying to do something constructive.” This perspective has led them to make some unconventional lifestyle choices—like taking a humanitarian trip instead of a typical holiday, spending their spare time volunteering, or spending money in specific ways. Generosity is Always in Style Renata’s many thrift shop purchases are a great example. “I like nice things, but I just don’t have it in me to live lavishly,” laughs Renata.  “My wife saves ..read more

Lee and Ayako* had weathered the recent economic shifts and shutdowns relatively well, but many in their community had not been so fortunate. Some friends and neighbours lost their jobs. Businesses went under. Local charities shut their doors for good. It was heartbreaking. Lee and Ayako had always dreamed about establishing their own charitable gifting fund, and this seemed like the perfect time to start. They picked up their phone and reached out to Abundance Canada. A Generosity Plan™ Starts with the Heart When I met with Lee and Ayako, we discussed their philanthropic hopes and dreams befo ..read more

Christmas is just around the corner and there are still lots of opportunities to practice generosity this season. Unfortunately, high inflation rates and increased risk of illness have only heightened the usual stress of buying gifts for family and friends and catching up on charitable giving before the end of the year. While Matthew and Tanya share in the worries over everyone’s health, they are thankful their charitable giving has been able to carry on despite the year’s many challenges. How do they do it? They have a Generosity Plan™. Sustainable Charitable Giving In addition to faithfully ..read more

Imagine giving a large gift to charity. Are you picturing a secret, anonymous donation? A large novelty cheque and a photo opportunity? Of all the scenarios you might have imagined, I bet life insurance didn’t even cross your mind. However, a gift of life insurance can be a convenient, practical, and effective way to provide significant support to the causes you care about. While all gifts of life insurance allow you to keep supporting charity after you die, there are several different ways to structure your donation. Donating a Life Insurance Policy to Charity If you donate a new or existing ..read more

Fred and Marcie worked hard to balance family, careers, and a variety of commitments in their community. Life was busy, but they had finally made it to that phase people often call “comfortable”. They used this little bump in financial freedom to increase support for their church, as well as giving to a number of charities at home and farther afield. It felt great to be more generous. However, with that joy came the challenge of tracking increased annual donations and the risk of misplaced receipts. They contacted Abundance Canada to see if we could help. A Generosity Plan™ for Today Fred and ..read more

From the time we are young, we are taught that decisions about money are not to be taken lightly. We need to take the time to decide where our hard-earned money goes. Whether it is saving up for a car, a holiday or a home, life experience familiarizes us with the pillars of financial literacy. Namely, budgeting, saving and spending wisely. When it comes to making a significant donation to charity, we tend to think of an oversized cheque being handed out on TV. However, effective, sustained charitable giving requires thought and preparation. As Abundance Canada clients Fred and Sally* taught me ..read more