Donating securities is one of the many ways you can give to ArtsSmarts.

When you sell securities a 50% tax on any capital gains - the increase in value since you acquired the securities - must be paid.  However, when you donate the same securities to a charitable organization, you will not pay tax on the capital gain.

In fact, the combined benefit of paying no tax on the capital gain and the charitable donation receipt you receive on the entire amount provides an excellent tax benefit when making your charitable gift.

You will receive a charitable donation receipt for the fair market value of the donated securities, just as if your gift had been cash, which you can then apply to your current taxes.  This value will be based on the closing value of the securities on the day that the stock is donated to ArtsSmarts. It is important to remember that in order to derive the tax benefits, you must transfer the securities to the charity, not sell them first.

Donating stocks, mutual funds and bonds is simple.

1) Visit CanadaHelps.org and click on the Donate Securities icon.

2) Complete, print and mail the Letter of Authorization to your financial advisor.

3) Your financial advisor will transfer the securities to the CanadaHelps.org brokerage account.

4) CanadaHelps.org will sell the securities on behalf of ArtsSmarts and will forward the sale value to us.  CanadaHelps.org charges a 3% fee which is deducted from the sale value.

5) Once the securities sale is complete CanadaHelps.org will email you a tax receipt.

Make a gift of securities today to ArtsSmarts via CanadaHelps.org.