Leaving a Legacy

For many donors, who have also been grateful patients, Wills and Bequests are more about paying it forward than giving back.

Like so many legacy donors, Eleanor Bannister had already established herself as a generous annual donor, when she took the next step and made an outright bequest in her Will. “By becoming a member of the Evergreen Society,” writes Eleanor, “I was thinking less about the past and more about the future. The impulse to give back had paved the way for a deeper call to pay it forward.” 

Maybe your support for healthcare is motivated by a deep desire to reinforce lifelong values, or to offset estate taxes. Perhaps you want to give for both reasons. Wherever you find yourself on the philanthropic journey, you may wish to consider making a charitable bequest in your will. 

You can designate a certain sum of money, a particular asset, or a portion of your estate. Whatever form your gift takes, the result is the same: a healthier, stronger, community.

We can help.

How to Give

To include a bequest to the Foundation in your will, have a lawyer or notary prepare a new will or add a codicil to your existing one. A bequest can be made available for immediate use or held as an endowment.

Types of Bequests

Specific Bequest: You designate a specific dollar amount or piece of property, such as real estate, stocks, bonds or works of art.

Residual Bequest: You donate all or a portion of your estate to the beneficiary after all your debts, taxes, expenses and other bequests have been paid. This is typically done by designating a percentage or share of your estate.

Contingent Bequest: Your gift takes effect only if the primary intention cannot be met (if, for example, the primary and alternate beneficiaries do not survive the donor).

Gift Restrictions

• Unrestricted Gifts: If you wish to meet the most important needs at KHSC and Providence Care, we recommend that your gift be unrestricted. You may designate an unrestricted gift to be shared by our hospitals, or for use by one or two specific hospitals
• Restricted Gifts: You can control the use of your bequest by including certain designations in your will. However, because our hospitals’ needs are subject to change, we recommend that you add a “power to vary” clause to ensure your gift will deliver maximum value (see our Wills & Bequests Guide for more information).

We Can Help

For more information or a confidential discussion, contact UHKF at 613-549-5452 or email foundation@uhkf.ca.