Creating Your Legacy Means Supporting Children Beyond Your Lifetime

May marks Leave a Legacy Month in Canada, a time to reflect on the impact you want to make beyond your lifetime.  

For many supporters, it becomes a way to extend the values they’ve lived by, of care, compassion, and a belief in every child’s right to a healthy start in life and a better future. It’s a way to make sure that children in Canada and around the world continue to receive the support and protection they need for generations to come. 

Why Leave a Legacy? 

There’s a common misconception that legacy gifts are complicated or accessible only to those with significant wealth. In reality, leaving a legacy can be a simple and flexible way to support children in Canada and around the world without affecting your current financial situation. 

When planning for the future, many people want to ensure their loved ones are cared for as a priority. In Canada, legacy gifts may provide tax advantages that can ease the burden on your estate while still allowing you to support children for generations to come. 

After someone passes away, their estate may be subject to taxes on the value of their assets which can reduce the total amount of what is ultimately passed on to family and loved ones. Including a charitable gift in your Will can potentially balance this impact. While taxes increase an estate’s financial burden.

Types of Legacy Gifts 

A legacy gift is most often made by including a charitable gift in your Will or by naming a charity as a beneficiary of a life insurance policy or registered plan.  

There are several common ways to include a charitable gift in your Will: 

Specific Bequest
This directs a particular item, such as a set sum of money, real estate, or publicly traded securities, to a chosen organization. 

Percentage Bequest
This allocates a fixed percentage of your total estate value (e.g. 10%) to a charity rather than a specific dollar amount. 

Residual Bequest
This directs whatever remains of your estate after debts, taxes, and gifts to family and loved ones have been distributed. 

Contingent Bequest
This gift takes effect only under certain conditions, such as if your primary beneficiaries predecease you. 

Each option offers flexibility allowing you to structure your estate plans that align with your priorities. 

Meet Diane Hickling

For Diane Hickling, including a gift in her Will became a deeply meaningful way to extend her lifelong dedication to children. 

A passionate volunteer with Save the Children for more than 30 years, Diane is a retired teacher and a proud mother of three. Throughout her career and volunteer work, she has consistently stood up for children’s rights, education, and well-being. 

“I believe in giving children every chance to grow up safe, educated, and hopeful,” she says. 

Having seen firsthand the impact of Save the Children’s work, Diane wanted to ensure her commitment would continue beyond her lifetime. Including a gift in her Will became a deeply meaningful way to carry forward the values she has always lived by. 

For Diane, this decision is about more than making a donation. It’s about ensuring that her dedication continues to reach children when and where the need is greatest, both in Canada and around the world. 

Leaving a Lasting Change for Children 

Legacy giving is for everyone. It’s a way to make a real difference that reflects your principles and priorities, regardless of the size of your estate.  

By remembering Save the Children in your future plans, you can help keep children safe, healthy, and learning, while creating a legacy rooted in what matters most to you: building a world where every children have a happy start in life and the opportunity to thrive. 

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Request our free Will Guide Kit today by calling us at 1-800-668-5036 ext. 265 or emailing leavealegacy@savethechildren.ca 

*Names changed.