Plan today, and protect nature forever.

Fred Jonckheere was a local businessman, self-taught naturalist, and was an editor of an illustrated tree identification book entitled Rare, Threatened, and Endangered Trees of Haldimand-Norfolk. His love for Carolinian forests inspired him to leave his entire estate to the Long Point Basin Land Trust – a transformational gift that has allowed us to support the purchase of several properties and build capacity to launch a large land protection campaign.

 

Legacy giving is one of the most powerful philanthropic tools you could use to support a cause you love. If you have a passion for nature, considering a legacy gift that reflects your values and interests could give you the power to shape the future of conservation and environmental stewardship.

 

 

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Types of Giving

There are several different methods of Legacy Giving, including bequests, land donations, and securities donations. Long Point Basin Land Trust is flexible, and works with many different landowners and individuals to achieve meaningful conservation outcomes:

 

Bequest:

Designate a specific sum of money, a property, or a portion of your estate residue to the Land Trust.

Considering that you can claim up to 100% of your income on your final tax return and carry back any excess to the previous year, the tax benefits of making an estate gift can be substantial. To ensure that your legacy gift is efficiently and accurately distributed to Long Point Basin Land Trust (charitable registration number CRA: 89113 5493 RR0001), consider using the following will wording: 

“I direct my trustees to give the sum of $ ___ or ___ % of my Estate (or the residue of my Estate) to Long Point Basin Land Trust to be used for its general charitable purposes.”

 

Donation of Land:

Several of the LPBLT properties have been donated by landowners who wanted to see their ecologically sensitive property preserved for future generations. As a local land trust, we take care to build relationships with landowners (and their legal/financial advisors) in the Long Point watershed to protect these natural spaces, and find the best giving option for your land donation. Land donations through the federal Ecological Gifts Program can provide substantial tax reductions on property and estate income.

Please visit our Land Conservation Page for more information on land conservation options

 

Donations of securities & insurance: 

There are many other ways to leave a legacy, and through careful financial planning you can make sure your loved ones are provided for while also leaving a gift to Nature.

  • Donate your life insurance policy. By naming Long Point Basin Land Trust as the beneficiary, your life insurance policy (exempt from probate), would go directly to the organization when you pass away. You could also transfer ownership of a fully-paid policy and receive a tax receipt for its cash surrender value
  • Gift of securities. You could eliminate capital gains while protecting wild spaces with a gift of publicly-traded securities like stocks, bonds, mutual funds or segregated funds.
  • Donate RRSPs or RRIFs. By naming Long Point Basin Land Trust as the beneficiary of your RRSP or RRIF, the remaining balance of these investments will go to the trust when you pass away. This can also help offset the taxes your estate would otherwise owe on these assets.

 

Memoriams and Honorariums:

Give a gift that will last a lifetime and beyond – contribute a donation to LPBLT in the name of a loved one for a special event or celebration in lieu of a gift and a card will be sent to the honouree. Whether it is for a birthday, wedding, anniversary, retirement, thank-you gift or other special occasion, donations can be given to help protect the land they love.

Make a donation in remembrance of a family member, friend or colleague and leave a lasting memory for someone you love by protecting the treasures of the Long Point Basin in their name. It is a way to ensure your loved one’s memory lives on in a meaningful way. A recognition card will be sent to the surviving family members acknowledging the gift.

 

Not sure where to begin? 

Before deciding on how legacy giving could be included in your future plans, your first step will be to consider your assets and think about what you want to leave to your loved ones. Then, think about how the mission of Long Point Basin Land Trust connects to your interests and values, and feel free to give us a call if you have any questions about how your gift could help our mission to protect and preserve Nature for future generations. Now you are ready to seek professional advice about your options for leaving a gift now or in your will or through other legacy vehicles. To aid you with this conversation, bring a copy of this webpage or share the link with your financial advisor, and feel free to suggest that your advisor reach out to us if they have any questions.

 

Have you decided to leave a legacy to Long Point Basin Land Trust?

Please let us know! It is important to us to celebrate your commitment to Nature in the Long Point watershed. Please send a note of intention to Wendy Cridland at 519-586-8309 or executivedirector@longpointlandtrust.ca and we will reach out to discuss your plans and opportunities for recognition.

 

(Landscape Photos by Matthew Palarchio)