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Planned Giving

Your support helps provide child amputees like Jaelynn with the artificial limbs they need to lead active lives.

It is often asked if The War Amps will be around in the future. Yes, it will!

The War Amps has been continued under the Canada Not-for-profit Corporations Act and is registered as a charitable organization with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). The War Amps is funded by donations to the Key Tag Service. It does not receive government grants.

Since 1918, The War Amps has met the needs of war amputees. Today, the Association continues to serve them, and all Canadian amputees, including children. The Child Amputee (CHAMP) Program provides artificial limbs, regional seminars and peer support. Through CHAMP, The War Amps tradition of “amputees helping amputees” will continue long into the future.

Your support helps provide child amputees like Jaelynn with the artificial limbs they need to lead active lives.

Planned giving refers to charitable gifts that require some planning before they are made. Planned gifts are popular because they can provide valuable tax benefits. By making bequests and other planned gifts, you can continue to help The War Amps improve the quality of life for amputees across Canada. The most common forms of planned gifts are:

Consult Professionals

For more information, please contact:

The War Amps
2827 Riverside Drive
Ottawa, Ontario K1V OC4
613 731-3821, 1 800 465-2677
613 731-3234
estatedonation@waramps.ca

Please note that tax laws and other legislation are subject to change and although the information provided here is from reliable and professional sources, you are cautioned to consult your own financial and legal advisors regarding the applicability of its content to your particular circumstances.

We would be happy to answer any of your questions about our many programs and services. Please be assured that any discussion is confidential and will not obligate you to make a gift.

For more information, please contact:

The War Amps
2827 Riverside Drive
Ottawa, Ontario K1V OC4
613 731-3821, 1 800 465-2677
613 731-3234
estatedonation@waramps.ca

Bequests

In making a will, you exercise your right to choose what to do with your accumulations of a lifetime. Leaving a bequest to a charity creates a lasting memorial to your values and achievements. Bequests also offer many practical benefits. For one, you retain full control of the gift for the duration of your life. You will find that bequests are eligible for tax credits and can considerably reduce the amount of taxes paid on an estate after death. Donation receipts are issued for the amount of the bequest and this usually results in a tax credit on your final income tax return.

A bequest to The War Amps will ensure that, in the future, members of the Child Amputee (CHAMP) Program can carry on the traditions passed on to them by war amputee veterans, improving the lives of amputees across Canada for years to come.

Sample Bequest Language

Frequently asked questions about making a bequest to The War Amps concern our proper legal name and whether bequests can be directed to a specific Association program. The following sample bequest language may help you and your lawyer when drafting your last will and testament in this context:

"I give to The War Amputations of Canada the sum of (amount)..."

"I give to The War Amputations of Canada (description of property)..."

“I give to The War Amputations of Canada the sum of (amount) to be used to assist the Association with respect to its CHAMP Program.”

“I give to The War Amputations of Canada the sum of (amount) to be employed in assisting the Association in supporting veterans’ causes or interests.”

“I give to The War Amputations of Canada (amount) per cent of the residue of my estate.”

“I give to The War Amputations of Canada the residual amount left in the testamentary trust created under my last will and testament after the death of the last beneficiary under the trust provision.”

Your lawyer or estate planner can provide additional information regarding charitable will bequests.

Endowments

An endowment is a contribution where the principal is held in perpetuity and the income or interest from the principal is used for the purposes as outlined in an endowment agreement. The purposes for which the interest may be spent can be very general in nature or restricted to a specific area. Endowments do not allow the trustees to draw from the principal unless outlined in the agreement. An endowment gives the donor the opportunity to give a gift that will continue to provide revenues into the future.

An endowment gift is an ideal way to leave a lasting legacy to The War Amps and commemorate or memorialize yourself, a spouse, your parents or children.

What are the benefits of endowments?

An endowment can be designated to a specific War Amps program, such as the Child Amputee (CHAMP) Program. The capital may be increased at any time by additional donations by the donor, family or friends.

Your lawyer or financial advisor can provide information on establishing an endowment fund.

Life Insurance Policies

Many individuals have life insurance policies that can be employed to benefit charities when the insured dies or, in some cases, during the insured's life. In order to implement this charitable strategy, it is possible to purchase a new life insurance policy or employ a life insurance policy you no longer need for your family.

In this context, one simple approach is to name the charity of choice as the beneficiary under the life insurance policy so that the death benefit would be paid directly to that charity. This strategy could avoid probate taxes or fees on the amount of the gift and provide confidentiality.

Upon death, the death benefit is paid by the life insurance company directly to the charity of choice and the charity issues a tax receipt that can be used on your final tax return.

In the event you have an old life insurance policy that is no longer required for your personal needs, you could gift or assign the policy to the charity of choice while you are alive rather than cancel the policy. The charity would receive the life insurance proceeds upon death. When you absolutely assign a life insurance policy to a charity, the legal ownership of the policy falls to the charity. In the event there is any cash value at the time of the assignment, you may be entitled to receive a tax receipt for a charitable donation for that cash value. In the event you continue to pay premiums to keep the policy in force after it has been assigned, you may also qualify for a charitable receipt in relation to this premium.

In addition, you could make a planned gift by purchasing a new life insurance policy. Once a life insurance policy is established with a charitable organization designated as the owner and beneficiary, all premiums paid on the policy are deemed to be a charitable donation and the insurance proceeds will produce a charitable donation deduction on your annual income tax return upon death.

Your life insurance company can provide you information on this type of donation.

Charitable Remainder Trusts

A charitable remainder trust involves transferring investments or property to a trust that allows you to continue to have the right to use those assets or to receive all the income earned within the trust. Upon death, the trustee of the charitable remainder trust transfers the remaining assets to the charity named in the trust for whatever purpose or use you originally stipulated in the trust instrument.

The assets are transferred irrevocably into the charitable remainder trust and the income is paid to you during your lifetime. While you are alive, the charity cannot access the investments or the property contained within the charitable remainder trust.

What benefits do I gain from a charitable remainder trust?

You benefit by gaining a charitable income tax deduction in the year the trust acquires the assets. The amount of the tax receipt would be based on your current age (the older you are, the bigger the receipt), the asset value donated and actuarial projections of the value of the asset upon your death.

In the event you cannot use the deduction in the year the trust is established, you can carry the unused deduction forward for up to five years and apply it against subsequent income. Since the charitable remainder trust is not a part of your estate, it also potentially lowers the federal and provincial tax on your estate.

Please contact your investment advisor to determine if a charitable remainder trust is right for you.

Leave a Lasting Legacy for Amputees

A young male leg amputee smiles and stands in between two male war amputee veterans.

You can help amputees with a charitable estate donation in your will. Your gift will provide amputees, including veterans and children, with essential programs that make a meaningful impact in their lives.

“Barbara knew of the many ways that The War Amps helps child and adult amputees. She felt strongly that her gift would make a positive difference in their lives.”Family friend

The War Amps DOES NOT:

Use professional fundraisers
Receive government grants
Solicit by phone or door-to-door
Sell or trade your name/address
Spend more than 10% on administration
Tie up funds in long-term investments

We take seriously our responsibility to our donors and strive to provide them with the information needed to make a well-informed decision and have a sense of how their money is being used. Our Annual Report is one way in which we do that.