Kawartha Lakes Estate Planning Council

Thoughtful estate planning is about more than managing assets. It is an opportunity to reflect on the people, places and causes that have shaped your life — and to consider the legacy you would like to leave for future generations.

Helping Generosity Live On

The Kawartha Community Foundation Estate Planning Council brings together local professional advisors and community leaders who share a commitment to helping individuals and families explore charitable giving as part of their estate and financial planning.

Through education, collaboration and professional connections, the Council helps build awareness of the many ways philanthropy can be incorporated into a thoughtful estate plan.

For Professional Advisors

Lawyers, accountants, financial planners, investment advisors, insurance professionals and other estate-planning professionals play an important role in helping clients achieve their charitable goals.

The Estate Planning Council provides opportunities for professional advisors to:

  • Build knowledge about charitable and legacy giving

  • Learn about giving options available through a community foundation

  • Connect with other local estate-planning professionals

  • Participate in educational sessions and professional development

  • Help clients explore charitable giving as part of their estate plans

  • Strengthen philanthropy and long-term community investment across Kawartha Lakes

The Kawartha Community Foundation does not provide legal, tax or financial advice. Instead, we work collaboratively with donors and their professional advisors to help identify charitable solutions

A charitable gift through your estate can create meaningful and lasting impact in Kawartha Lakes.

The Kawartha Community Foundation can work alongside donors and their professional advisors to develop giving strategies that reflect each donor's personal values, charitable interests and long-term goals.

Legacy gifts can support the community broadly, establish or contribute to a named fund, support a particular charitable cause, or provide ongoing support for organizations that are important to you.

Your gift becomes part of a lasting legacy — helping our community respond to changing needs and opportunities for generations to come.

Ways to Leave a Legacy

  • A charitable bequest can provide a specific amount, a percentage of your estate or a portion of the remaining estate after other beneficiaries have been provided for..

  • A life insurance policy may provide an opportunity to create a significant future charitable gift.

  • The Kawartha Community Foundation may be named as a beneficiary of certain registered assets, such as an RRSP or RRIF.

  • Gifts of publicly traded securities and other assets may provide charitable and tax-planning opportunities.

  • A donor can establish a permanent fund during their lifetime or through their estate, creating an enduring source of community support connected to their name, family or charitable interests.

  • “Your legacy is more than what you leave behind — it is what you make possible for the future. Through thoughtful charitable giving, you can create a lasting impact in Kawartha Lakes for generations to come.”

    --KCF Board Member

  • “The Estate Planning Council provides a valuable opportunity to connect with other local professionals, strengthen relationships and build a trusted network of advisors who share a commitment to our community.”

    • Council Presenter

  • “Being part of the Estate Planning Council supports continued learning and professional development. It keeps me informed about charitable giving strategies and gives me new knowledge I can bring to conversations with my clients.”

    -Council Member

Discussion Topics

  • Returning to the Earth: Understanding Green Burials
    Presented by Caley Ferguson, this session explored environmentally conscious burial options, emerging practices and the estate-planning conversations families should have in advance.

  • Protecting Client Estates: Integrating Tax and Drawdown Strategies
    A practical discussion about coordinating retirement income, registered-account withdrawals, taxation and estate objectives to preserve more wealth for beneficiaries.

  • Untying the Knot Later in Life: Gray Divorce
    An exploration of the financial, legal and family considerations involved when couples separate later in life, including retirement assets, pensions, housing and updated estate documents.

  • Unlocking Home Equity: Understanding Reverse Mortgages — examining benefits, costs, eligibility, common misconceptions and the potential impact on estate value and beneficiaries

  • When the Cottage Becomes Complicated
    Discuss succession planning for cottages and recreational properties, including capital-gains tax, shared ownership, family agreements and conflict prevention.

  • Aging in Place: Planning Beyond the Financial Statement
    Bring together estate, housing, healthcare and community-service perspectives to help clients prepare for living safely and independently as they age.

  • After the Funeral: What Happens Next?
    Walk through the first days, weeks and months of estate administration, helping professionals better prepare clients and families for what to expect.

  • The Digital Afterlife: Who Gets Your Passwords, Photos and Cryptocurrency?
    Examine how digital assets, social-media accounts, online businesses, cryptocurrency and cloud-based records should be addressed in a modern estate plan.

  • From Farm Gate to the Next Generation
    Focus on succession planning for farm families, including taxation, ownership transitions, family dynamics and preserving the long-term viability of the operation.

  • The Psychology of Inheritance
    Explore how grief, fairness, identity and family history influence estate decisions and beneficiary relationships.

Interested in Joining the Council?

The Kawartha Community Foundation welcomes professionals interested in advancing charitable giving and strengthening our community through thoughtful estate planning.

Council membership is open to professionals working in law and estate planning, accounting and taxation, financial and investment planning, insurance, trust and estate administration, wealth management, and philanthropic and charitable planning.

By bringing professional expertise and community knowledge together, we can help more people discover how their estate plans can create a meaningful and lasting impact close to home.

An annual membership fee applies. Complete the form to express your interest in joining the Estate Planning Council.

Website Disclaimer

The information provided on this page is intended for general educational purposes only and should not be considered legal, financial, investment or tax advice. The Kawartha Community Foundation encourages donors to consult with their own qualified professional advisors when making estate, financial or charitable giving decisions.