Most Canadians spend their lifetime acquiring personal property, saving for their children’s education, paying off the mortgage, building financial security by contributing to an RRSP or pension plan, and looking forward to retirement. However, like over half of Canadians, you might not have planned for the final distribution of those assets through your estate plan.

It’s important that your estate be protected and the best way to do this is to have a Will. Completing this important document allows you to protect your assets and help provide financial security for your loved ones.

A good place to start is to think about your assets and how you want to divide them amongst your family members and friends. Parkinson Canada has developed a resource – My Personal Organizer – to assist you with this process. This resource will help you prepare information needed to complete your Will.

Writing a Will isn’t hard or overly expensive — it could cost $1,000 or more depending on the complexity of the document and how much your lawyer charges per hour. But whatever the cost, it’s worth it. Without a Will, your best intentions and promises made to family and friends may not be realized.

If leaving a gift in your Will to Parkinson Canada is something you would like to consider, we would be pleased to speak with you in confidence to explore your options.    

Benefits to you by making a gift to charity in your Will

• Convenient: It can be made regardless of your age and for any amount.
• Cost-effective: Your present income will not decrease.
• Simple: It is easy to arrange. Simply instruct your lawyer to include a gift to Parkinson Canada in your Will. It can be a specific amount, a percentage of your estate, or the residue of your estate (a gift after debts have been paid and other gifts have been distributed.)
• Tax Relief: Your estate will receive a charitable tax receipt which can be used to reduce taxes on your final tax return and, in some cases, the previous year’s tax return.

Benefits to Parkinson Canada and the people you help

• Helping people with Parkinson’s: Your gift will enable us to provide education and support services, advocate on behalf of Canadians living with Parkinson’s, and fund highly innovative research.

To request your free copy of our Will planning toolkit, My Personal Organizer, please contact Sue Rosenblat, Manager, Major, Planned Giving & Foundations at Sue.Rosenblat@Parkinson.ca or 1-800-565-3000 ext. 3386.