Wealth Defence · Charity
Decide where the surplus goes — before the government decides for you.
$0
capital gains tax on donated securities
$2 → $1
tax turned into legacy at death
Now
when the tax wins can start
The Problem
Most people give to the government by default.
A large share of wealth ends up with the CRA simply because no one planned otherwise. The same dollars could fund causes you care about, carry your name, and reduce your tax bill.
Most people also give the least efficient way possible: cash. The right assets, in the right structure, multiply both the impact and the tax benefit.
“Done right, giving is a tax strategy first — and one that pays off while you’re alive, not only at death.”
The Double Play
Give appreciated securities, not cash.
Donating $50,000 in shares (cost base $10,000) through your corporation
$50K
in shares donated in-kind
↓
$0
capital gains tax on the donation
$50K
full donation receipt to offset income
+ CDA
credit to your Capital Dividend Account
When the gift is made through your corporation, the eliminated capital gain is also credited to the Capital Dividend Account — a balance that can later flow to you or your family tax-free. One gift, three wins. Outcomes depend on your structure — confirm with your CPA.
Why It Matters Now
You don't have to die to benefit from giving.
Strategic philanthropy delivers real tax wins during your lifetime. It lowers what you owe now, can free up capital, and lets you see the impact of your giving while you’re here to enjoy it.
Give appreciated assets, not cash.
Donating appreciated securities — personally or through your corporation — can eliminate the capital gains tax you’d otherwise pay and still generate a full donation receipt to offset your income. These are living strategies, not estate ones.
There’s a powerful at-death option too: structured giving can offset estate tax dollar-for-dollar — for every roughly $2 directed to charity, about $1 of tax can become $1 of legacy. But that’s one option among several, not the headline.
What a Plan Does
Turn tax into impact — on your terms.
Offset income while you’re alive
Donation receipts can reduce personal or corporate tax now, with carry-forward room.
Eliminate capital gains on the right gifts
Donating appreciated securities in-kind can remove the gains tax you’d pay if you sold first.
Give without shrinking the inheritance
Structures exist to fund a major gift while keeping your family whole.
Convert estate tax into legacy
At death, structured giving can turn a tax bill into a meaningful gift that carries your name.
Charitable tax outcomes depend on your income, your structure, and current rules, and should be confirmed with your CPA. The “$2-to-charity / $1-of-tax” framing and any figures here are approximate illustrations of how the mechanics can work, not a guarantee of your result.
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More Areas of Focus
Estate Planning
Corporate Insurance
Living Benefits
Charity
