Covering all the Bases
A couple of years ago, Bernard Dorval and Francine Côté made a commitment to spend the next chapter of their lives helping others to realize their dreams.
“Success in life comes with a lot of hard work, but let’s face it, timing, circumstances, people that surround you are also a big part of the equation. One must remain very humble in the face of your own achievements and acknowledge what chance provided,” Bernard says. “This is why, as Francine and I approached the later stage of our lives, helping people around us, and more broadly people in the communities in which we have lived and prospered, has become so important.”
The couple’s goals were simple: they wanted to provide for their families during their lifetime while ensuring they could leave a legacy of support to the causes they cared about. And, if possible, they wanted these two goals to be accomplished by the same gift.
The solution was an innovative giving vehicle called a charitable remainder trust. Like a regular donation, Bernard and Francine have provided a capital investment to United Way. Unlike a regular gift, the income from this investment is used to provide for the couple’s loved ones during their lifetime. Then, when the gift is realized, it will support a wide range of United Way programs, including services for newcomers and seniors, employment programs and, most importantly to the couple, youth success initiatives.
“Youth education and success is number one on our agenda,” Francine says. “In the end, our investments are all about building healthier and more prosperous societies. A successful youth is the key to a society’s future health.”
Bernard and Francine feel that creating the trust was an investment well worth the effort.
“It really hits on all of the goals we had set for ourselves for the rest of our lives and our mission to help others realize their dreams,” Francine says.