Acadia University - Your Giving Guide

Payment Methods

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Phone

If you prefer to make a donation by phone or by credit card and speak directly with a representative, please call us at 902-585-1876 or toll-free in North America at 866-
222-3428

Mail

Download our printable gift form and send the completed form by mail or fax to:

Mailing Address:
15 University Ave
Wolfville, NS
B4P 2R6

Fax Number:
902-585-1079

Payroll Deduction

If you are an Acadia Faculty or Staff member and would like to donate bi-weekly or monthly by payroll deduction, please download and mail or fax us the completed
Payroll Deduction form.

Stocks & Securities

Publicly traded securities include shares, bonds, bills, warrants and futures that are traded on Canadian and most foreign stock exchanges. Donations of publicly traded
securities to a registered charity are exempt of the capital gains tax. Acadia University's Development staff would be pleased to provide step-by-step guidelines to assist
you with your gift of publicly-listed securities.

If you are considering a gift to Acadia University, we strongly recommend that you seek professional financial and legal advice that takes into account your unique
circumstances. We also urge you to discuss your gift with a University official prior to finalizing the details of your gift arrangement. Click here to make a donation of
shares!

Estate Planning

A bequest is a direction by Will to give property. Bequests may be stated as a percentage of an estate, as the residual of the estate or as a specific dollar amount. This type of gift can make a significant difference to Acadia University's future.

By making a bequest in your Will it may be possible for you to give a substantial gift to Acadia University today that won't affect your current lifestyle. You can choose to leave some or all of your estate to Acadia University, which could include money, investments, property, real estate or other parts of your estate.

While planned today, a bequest is not paid to Acadia University until the donor passes away and usually takes one of the following forms:

• An unrestricted bequest allows the University to use the donor's gift where it is felt to be needed most.
• A restricted bequest is a gift with a specific purpose. The donor may specify the gift be used for a particular area of interest in a specific faculty or department.

With careful planning, a bequest can eliminate most, if not all, the taxes payable on death. The donor's executor can claim bequests equal to 100% of the net income on the deceased donor's final two tax returns.

By advising us now that you have included Acadia University in your Will, you will be allowing us to recognize your generosity today. All requests for anonymity are absolutely respected.

Bequests should name "The Governors of Acadia University" as the beneficiary. Should you require any assistance, such as recommended wording for your Will, we would be more than pleased to provide this information.

If you are considering a gift to Acadia University, we strongly recommend that you seek professional financial and legal advice that takes into account your unique circumstances. We also urge you to discuss your gift with a University official prior to finalizing the details of your gift arrangement.

Create an Award

Acadia's supporters have provided students with aid in the form of scholarships, bursaries, and other awards. Our alumni are scientists and athletes, artists and executives: people who fill the ranks of every industry and profession, making significant contributions to the communities they live in. Student awards made many of their accomplishments possible.

Additional award funding is always needed. The University offers a variety of options for gifts to awards. Donors may choose to:

• Contribute to existing award endowments or to establish new awards.
• Fund an award on an annual basis or endow an award in perpetuity.
• Designate the type of award, whether academic merit-based, need-based, or activity-based.
• Leave the award completely open, or designate it for undergraduate or graduate students.
• Designate a faculty, school, degree program or major area of student for award support.
• Establish an award during their lifetime or provide a bequest in their Wills to provide for an award in the future.

To learn about the awards available at Acadia, please visit the Scholarships and Financial Aid page.

Create an Endowment

When your donation is endowed, it is invested under the regulations set by Acadia University and the investment income produced can be directed to the area of your choice. Simply put, endowments are gifts that keep on giving.

Many donors choose to endow a scholarship, bursary or academic program in the name of a loved one who has passed away. The Acadia Endowment creates more than a legacy. Year after year, decade after decade, the original endowed gift continues making a difference at Acadia. There are more than 500 endowments in place at Acadia at the present time; a list of these is available upon request. To establish a new endowment, a gift of $25,000 or more is suggested.

Named Endowments

Building an endowment is an excellent way to carry on a family tradition, to honour a family member or friend or to encourage generosity of future generations.

Many naming opportunities are available to you including naming an endowment. Often people choose to name endowments after their friends, family and loved ones to ensure that their legacy lives on through Acadia University.

To find out more about the policies governing named endowments and how you can build an endowment, please contact Donor Relations.

Investment Policy

The endowments of the University are governed by the Board of Governors.

Gifts-In-Kind

Do you have a valuable collection of books or memorabilia? Are you able to donate equipment or other supplies that Acadia could use? If so, you could make a gift-in-kind donation.

A gift-in-kind is a non-cash donation and includes items such as personal effects, artwork and real estate.

Acadia will gladly accept any gifts-in-kind for which there is a use on campus. Once the gift is appraised, a donation receipt will be issued for the fair market value of the gift.

Typical gifts of property to Acadia include:

• Land such as the Morton family's Heckman's Island gift in 2005.
• Artwork to be displayed in the Acadia Art Gallery.
• Special library collections.
• Personal or business papers of historical or research interest to the University's scholars.

If you are considering a gift to Acadia University, we strongly recommend that you seek professional financial and legal advice that takes into account your unique circumstances. We also urge you to discuss your gift with a University official prior to finalizing the details of your gift arrangement. You can also review our Gifts-In-Kind Policy (PDF) for more information.

Insurance

A gift of life insurance to Acadia University can enable you to make a significant gift with a minimal outlay of current savings or income. It can also provide you with an immediate tax advantage and the ability to leave a substantial legacy. The proceeds from the policy will go towards a project or fund you personally have selected.

Benefits of transferring ownership of an existing policy to Acadia University:

• A charitable tax receipt is issued for the cash surrender value of the policy.
• The donor can designate how the money is to be used by Acadia University

Benefits of transferring ownership of a new policy to Acadia University:

• The annual premiums are eligible for a charitable tax receipt.
• During the period in which the policy is being paid off, the resulting tax credit will help defray almost 50 per cent of the premium cost.
• The donor can designate how the money is to be used by Acadia University.

Benefits of naming Acadia University as the direct beneficiary of the donor's policy:

• When the University is the direct beneficiary of the donor's life insurance proceeds, the donor’s estate may also be eligible for a charitable tax receipt.
• A gift of life insurance is not subject to probate since the death benefit is paid directly to the University.
• The donor can designate how the money is to be used by Acadia University.
• For more information about the financial benefits of giving a gift of life insurance by Will or by designating Acadia University as beneficiary please contact Donor Relations.

If you are considering a gift to Acadia University, we strongly recommend that you seek professional financial and legal advice that takes into account your unique circumstances.

International Gifts

We are pleased to work with international donors to achieve charitable treatment of your gift to the fullest extent possible. For further information, please contact the Development Office at 902.585.1912 or 1.866.222.3428.

If you are considering a gift to Acadia University, we strongly recommend that you seek professional financial and legal advice that takes into account your unique circumstances. We also urge you to discuss your gift with a University official prior to finalizing the details of your gift arrangement.

United States Donors

According to the United States and Canada Income Tax Convention, Acadia University alumni and their families (family members are defined as: spouses, children, grandchildren, parents, and siblings) may make donations directly to Acadia University and use the Acadia University charitable receipt for their U.S. income tax returns.

If you are a resident of the United States (including corporations, foundations, estates, and trusts) and require a charitable receipt but are not an alumnus/alumna or an immediate relative, please contact Amy Robinson at 902.585.1912 or amy.robinson@acadiau.ca to discuss your donation options.

Retirement Funds

It is possible to name a charity as beneficiary of a RRSP/RRIF directly on the plan documents, and to receive the tax benefits. Previously, if you named a charity in this way, you would make a gift, pay the tax and receive no tax benefit.

If you are enrolled in an RRSP or have already converted your RRSP to a RRIF, you can name Acadia University as beneficiary of all or a portion of any retirement funds remaining at death. Your estate will receive a tax credit for the value of your gift.

Benefits to the Donor

• The tax credit the donor's estate receives as a result of the donation will offset any tax on the proceeds.
• Gifts of RRSPs and RRIFs fall outside of the donor's estate and are, thus, not subject to probate.

If you can adequately provide for your retirement needs through investments such as RRSPs/RRIFs, you may want to use the funds received from your Canada Pension to make a charitable donation. When you receive your payment, simply send Acadia University a cheque for the amount or a portion of the CPP distribution you received.

Benefits to the Donor

• A tax receipt for the value of the donor's cash gift.
• The donor's pension gift will be put to use immediately, giving the donor the benefit of seeing how their generosity is making a difference.

In addition, if you choose to, you can donate your CPP lump sum death benefit by including a bequest in your Will that this amount be gifted to Acadia University.

If you are considering a gift to Acadia University, we strongly recommend that you seek professional financial and legal advice that takes into account your unique circumstances. We also urge you to discuss your gift with a University official prior to finalizing the details of your gift arrangement.