Bequests and Planned Gifts

The gift of a lifetime

McGill University owes its very existence to the foresight of a generous planned gift. The University was founded in 1821 with a bequest from the estate of Scottish-born Montreal merchant James McGill. McGill has since grown from a small college to one of the world’s leading research and teaching universities, thanks to the extraordinary legacy of many generations of supporters.

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A lasting legacy at McGill

A planned gift can help you achieve your tax and financial goals, as well as your philanthropic goals, and it can help you make a much larger gift than otherwise possible. Your gift can provide direct funding, or it can establish an endowment, for the faculty, school or department of your choice. You may also make your gift in honour or in memory of a special person in your life. With a little planning, you can create a truly lasting legacy for generations to come.

What is a planned gift?

A planned gift is a charitable donation which can be arranged during your lifetime, but is not available to the University until sometime in the future. The most common type of planned gift is a bequest, but there are many giving vehicles:

• Bequests

• Charitable gift annuity

• Life insurance

• Retirement plan assets

• Charitable remainder trusts