Therapy - RMTAO

MassageTherapyToday

Sept 2011 • www.rmtao.com

Putting Knowledge into Practice

Creating a Résumé to Showcase Volunteerand Service Experience 12

RMTAO Interviews:Krystin Bokalo 22

Charitable Donations

Tax Credit 26

FOCUS ON VOLUNTEERING:

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3Massage Therapy Today

Published byBCS Group for the Registered Massage Therapists’ Association of Ontario Amanda Baskwill, RMT, Chair Marny Hamilton, Executive Director and CEOStephanie Lazzarini, Marketing andCommunications Planner

SubmissionsAll editorial contributions are to be submitted to the RMTAO for review. All original articles become the property of and copyrighted to the RMTAO. Submission guidelines are available on the RMTAO website. For all inquiries, please contact the RMTAO.

The RMTAO does not guarantee, warrant or endorse any product advertised in this publication. The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily represent the views of the RMTAO, its Board of Directors or Advertisers. Please address all comments to the RMTAO Office.

Registered Massage Therapists’ Association of Ontario 2943B Bloor Street WestEtobicoke, ON, M8X 1B3Tel: 416.979.2010 Toll Free: 1.800.668.2022Fax: 416.979.1144www.rmtao.com/[email protected]©2011 Registered Massage Therapists’ Association of Ontario

Publication ManagementBCS Group, 255 Duncan Mill Road, Suite 803, Toronto, ON, M3B 3H9Tel: 416.421.7997; Fax: 416.421.8418www.bcsgroup.com

Publication ManagerMario Crespi

Managing EditorCaroline Tapp-McDougall

Editorial Assistant Candace Allison

Art DirectorJoseph Finbow

Production ManagerKen Eperon

AdvertisingMichael MurtonTel: 416.323.9991; Fax: 416.323.9998E-mail: [email protected]

Printed in Canada

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ISSN1911-8813

MassageTherapyToday Putting Knowledge into Practice

September 2011 • Volume 5, No. 5

As we look forward to the fall season, this is an opportune time toconsider volunteering your time and skills to the community in which

you are a part. Volunteering can appear in many different forms. In this,the September issue of Massage Therapy Today, we highlight the impor-tance and significance of giving back.

There are myriad ways in which we can contribute to the world aroundus, for example by sharing our time, talents, or treasures. Volunteerismcan take the shape of fundraising for medical research or non-profit organizations. Leading and participating in programs for less-fortunate individuals is another way to reach out.

While you plan your fall schedule, please consider the opportunity to volunteer and lend a hand. At the RMTAO, we are always looking to engage our membership as volunteers in the organization. Together,we can advocate for and advance the profession of massage therapy as part of the health care team. Opportunities include committee work,coordinating our community-based networks, and working on specialprojects, to name just a few. We look forward to hearing from you as an integral partner in the work we share. Please contact us [email protected]. The secret of volunteering is that you often receive more than you give!

When you receive this issue of Massage Therapy Today, our annual membership renewal cycle will be in full swing. We have included aspecial section in the magazine to promote membership and share our perspective on how, through a strong association, we have greaterleverage to advance the role of massage therapy in health care. Helpsupport the RMTAO and reach out to fellow RMTs on the value of membership! We have included a detachable membership form as part of the package to facilitate our recruitment process.

Join today and together we will make a difference!

Marny HamiltonExecutive Director and CEO

Message from the Executive Director

The Importance of Reaching Out

4

Each student— Katherine Madaleno,Christina Rodrigues, Jessica Clark,

Mila Jimenez, and Shay Phillips—came to this adventure in a different way. For one, it was something she wished to do ever since hearing of the trip; for another, it was a last-minute choice. Fortunately for us, our leader, RMT Cristina Edwards also wanted to join the team. “I wanted the massage students to get the full benefitfrom providing their services and to supportthem along the way,” Edwards says. “I’vealways wanted to participate in somethinglike this, to give back and help others less fortunate. I looked forward to working with the students, as well as the other health professionals in the group. This trip was not offered to massage therapy students when I was at Georgian, so I was very excited to join the experience as a professional.”

A desire to helpWhatever our reasons for signing up, the collective thought was that we wanted to volunteer our time and skills to enhancethe existing team of nurses who travel to San Jose de Ocoa in the Dominican Republiceach year. We also wanted to help otherswho are less fortunate than ourselves. Manyof our fellow students wondered why we

would spend so much money on this trip, to which our response was—“Because it’s not about the money, it’s about humanity.”

Through fundraising and donations fromfriends and family we each paid for our individual trips. We also received items fromvarious local companies for the clinics wewould run while there, including massagetherapy materials. We gathered medicalequipment, first-aid supplies, medications,school supplies, clothing, and basic oral supplies. We also had numerous donations of wheelchairs, crutches, and other rehabitems from families who wanted to help. Ourefforts paid off, and we took an enormousamount of baggage (many had two 50-lbhockey bags) to the Dominican.

Leading up to our departure, we also had to prepare through meetings, medical check-ups, vaccinations, and Spanish lessons. Groups of health care professionalsmet up over several months to smooth the divisions between the disciplines anddecide how we would come together for the care of our patients once we arrived. As we gathered at the airport, we were all eager to be a part of something biggerthan ourselves and ready to reach out topeople in need. Whether it was the impact

Focus on Volunteering

Adventure in San Jose de Ocoa, Dominican Republic

By KatherineMadaleno, with

contributions fromCristina Edwards,RMT, Christina Rodrigues,

Jessica Clark, andMila Jimenez

Massage Therapy Today September 2011

We are a group of five massage therapy students and one practicing RMT who recently wenton a trip to the Dominican Republic, along with nursing and paramedic students, as part of aninter-professional trip through Rayjon Share and Georgian College. This is our story…

Photo:Katherine

Madaleno

of seeing the impoverished communities and the desperation of some, or simply a realization that we all came to the Dominicanto be part of something worthwhile, it tookvery little time for us to mesh into one inter-professional group.

The experienceOn our first day in Ocoa, we were intro-duced to Sister Teofila (our host in theDominican) and learned about the endlesswork Canadians have done to enhance the community. We felt humbled to realizewe were a part of something that hasshaped the community for many years. We spent an entire day in tours of local organizations, the rehab facility, a nursinghome, and the local hospital in Ocoa. “The hospitals are not like Canadian hospitals,” we were told. “If you do not

have the money to pay for your medical assistance you are sent home.”

Rodrigues reports talking to a student whowas working in San Jose de Ocoa. “He said people come in with machete cuts andare sent home because they cannot afford to pay the medical bill,” she said. “Thesepeople have to work to make money for their medical care and most of the time they will get bad infections.”

The differences between the local health care and our Canadian system were astounding. The poverty, lack of cleanrunning water (most of the water is infested with parasites), medical equipment,sterilization…the list was endless. Many Dominican residents cannot afford basic

5September 2011 Massage Therapy Today

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health care, and many never see a doctor orhospital in their lifetime.

For our community clinic days, we were separated into smaller teams, with massage,nursing, and paramedic students in each. We were transported to mountainside communities in the backs of pick-up trucksalong winding, very rocky, very bumpy roads. Jimenez describes a typical day: “We had our first outreach clinic in a smallcommunity called Los Martinez. We saw a variety of conditions ranging from low back pain to constipation. Most residents suffered from overuse injuries due to heavyfield work, including large amounts of heavy lifting. We organized the clinic so that we received clients after they had been assessed by the nursing students.That way we were able to look at their registration forms and get a quick idea oftheir chief complaint. Clients received onaverage a 10–15 minute treatment and were sent to the next station of the clinicwith self-care, which mostly involved stretching and strengthening exercises, as well as self-massage. The residents of thissmall community showed extreme apprecia-

tion of our presence and care, and were veryeager to show it.”

We worked seamlessly with the nursing andparamedic students, and quickly learned thatour focus should be on education and teach-ing the patient or family members aboutself-massage for a greater benefit once wewere gone. It was incredible to know that wecould offer the residents of this communitysuch basic health care when it was so verybadly needed. At first we were taken back by what we saw as greediness on the part of some patients, who would try to stealmedications and clothing. After speakingwith residents and more experienced teammembers, however, we realized they werenot driven by greed, but by pure desperation.

Reaching outOne day we visited a rehabilitation clinic in the morning and a seniors’ home in the afternoon. For us as a massage team, the rehabilitation facility was of most interest. We had gathered enough donations (e.g.,wheelchairs, crutches, walkers, splints, cloth-ing, Thera-Bands) to fill the back of a truck,and it was incredible to see the expressions


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of gratitude and appreciation when we told the staff it was all for themand their patients. A young man with

a broken leg received the first set ofcrutches, and let Edwards draw a maple

leaf on his fresh plaster.

The facility had one physiotherapist and fouroccupational therapists. They were extensivelytrained and their set-up was very similar to that of a clinic in Canada, although lacking incertain advances due to funding. We were ableto work hands on and also observe treatmentof the day’s patients (peripheral neuropathies,stroke, motorcycle accident, gun-shot woundthrough the femur and sciatic nerve, andParkinson’s disease). The staff were welcom-ing and eager to teach us. They were alsovery thankful, as we ended our morning there with a massage for each member of staff.

The seniors’ home was an amazing place. It takes in elderly people who are homeless,

abused, or whose families simply cannotafford to care for them. If it was not for thisfacility, many seniors in the community wouldbe on the streets. It is run by the Sisters ofOcoa and the residents stay there for free.

Another highlight was the pediatric clinic. An estimated 100 children came through theclinic, and our massage therapy group treatedabout half. We saw many children with respi-ratory infections, low back pain, constipation,and headaches. Our most interesting caseswere a boy with cerebral palsy and a younggirl with suspected juvenile arthritis (herfamily is too poor to see a specialist to havethe diagnosis confirmed). Jimenez worked not only as a massage therapist but also as an interpreter. “As I’m fluent in Spanish, I was able to help our group out with clientsby keeping the flow going and breaking thelanguage barrier. Today we were able toeducate our clients, teaching them infant and constipation self-massage.”

An amazing journeyOn the last evening, we gathered in a large circle and reflected as a group on ouradventure. We listened, cried, laughed, andremembered the incredible week gone by,filled with love and appreciation for ourfellow humans.

From a massage therapy perspective, the ex-perience gave us all an insight into the worldbeyond our borders and how our professionhas come so far and yet still has so muchfurther to go. We saw interesting cases, someof which we may never be exposed to again,allowing us to learn from experience ratherthan a textbook. The cultural differences thatcame to light also allowed our education togrow. We sometimes forget that therapeuticmassage is still relatively unheard of in manyparts of the world, and even in many parts ofour own country. The lessons here are thateducation about the profession needs to and


must continue; that perhaps, in this particularsetting, we can spend a day in the commu-nity, giving a lecture to the residents or healthcare workers about the benefits of massagetherapy, and thus nurture a new understand-ing of what massage therapists do as part of the health care system.

Exposing health care students to experiencessuch as this, with new cultures and ways oflife, is a huge stepping stone in creatingbetter health care practitioners. It solidifiesour need and desire to help, and encouragesus to keep working with those who cannothelp themselves. It gives us insight into thehuman race and how we cope no matterwhat the situation, and how even with verylittle, one can achieve great contentment.

Edwards summarizes what the trip has meantto her: “This trip amazed me in so manyways. I was nervous and excited to be goingon such an adventure and knew that emo-tionally it would be a rollercoaster. It was that,and more! I was blown away at how quickly a large group of split disciplines could cometogether and teach each other about why wewere all there. We met amazing people along

the way and helped so many. As much as the people of San Jose de Ocoa benefittedfrom us being there, we also benefitted from them. I arrived home feeling different,wishing I could have stayed longer and givenmore. I realized that the things in life thatmatter most are family, friends, and lovedones, and life is what you make of it. I hopethis is something I remember in the future.”

Clark echoes Edwards’ thoughts: “This trip is something I will never forget. I learned somuch from the people there, my peers, andour leaders. Back home, I still carry the appre-ciation we received and knowledge I gained. I would recommend this trip to anyone entering the health field.”

Rodrigues agrees. “Throughout the trip, every-one got to know one another very well andsome of us left best friends,” she says. “Thistrip was the best thing I could have done and I am glad I took the opportunity. It was atrue eye-opener and life-changing experience.I may never be the same person again.”

*Katherine Madaleno, Christina Rodrigues, JessicaClark, and Mila Jimenez will be graduating in August2011. Shay Phillips will graduate in December 2011.

MT


“This trip was the best thing I could have done and I am glad I took the opportunity.”


By Merrill Associates


Creating a Résumé to

Showcase Volunteerand Service Experience

Capitalizing on volunteer and service experiences can be very helpful if you are

looking for your first job after school, plan-ning a career move, or returning to work aftera hiatus. An important part of the job searchprocess is communicating qualifications to potential employers. For most people, therésumé becomes the major communicationchallenge! Ronald and Caryl Rae Krannich ofDynamic Résumés say: “At the very least arésumé represents the unique you to otherswho may or may not know much about yourparticular mix of goals and capabilities.”

An effective résumé successfully showcasesyour accomplishment and abilities, some of which may have been gained through volunteer and service experiences. These are just as pertinent and valuable as skillsgained in paid employment.

Focusing on a skill setThe first task is to identify the skills that have been learned and utilized and create skill clusters that are relevant to the positionyou are applying for. To assess your skills,think first of broad categories: • Interpersonal skills—listening, counselling,collaborating, teamwork, negotiating.• Educational skills—teaching, advising,coaching, facilitating.• Communication skills—interviewing, editing,writing, public speaking, summarizing.• Creative skills—expressing, designing, drafting, innovating.• Analytical skills—observing, reasoning, assessing, analyzing, evaluating.• Problem-solving skills—researching, organiz-

ing, clarifying, reviewing.• Leadership skills—initiating, managing,planning, motivating, recruiting, leading, promoting.• Management skills—delegating, supervising,hiring, implementing, scheduling, directing.• Technical skills—programming, computing,record-keeping, systematizing, accounting.

Be as specific as possible in identifying yourskills. “Good communication skills” is toobroad; “excellent writing and editing skills” is not. Concentrate on essential skills.

Employers are often looking for a general set of aptitudes and personality traits in addition to specific skills, such as the ability to acquire new technical skills quickly; teamwork skills; ability to sell ideas; a strongwork ethic; ability to follow instructions; leadership ability; initiative; and reliability.These are the skills and qualities that can be documented for a résumé.

Documentation of serviceWhen performing volunteer service, you can/should request a “documentation of service”statement from your volunteer manager,program director, executive director, commit-tee chair or even a board chair. This writtensummary of your volunteer accomplishmentsmay contain a position description, includingtitle, duties, and responsibilities; skills utilized;dates of service; number of hours contributed;and training received. The letter may alsocontain a brief evaluation of your performanceand overall contribution to the organization.

12

continued on page 18

The RMTAO can help you make theimpossible...��

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“Ask for letters of

support and reference from your volunteer or service

placement.”

When building a résumé to make a careerchange, be sure that the documentation ofservice letter highlights the skills or skillcluster you are working to develop. Organiza-tions should provide performance evaluationsfor all volunteers, and as a volunteer you havethe right to request a statement of how wellyou performed your duties. Be sure to keep a copy for your files.

Request records of all in-service training, workshops, and conferences attended. Title,instructor, dates, and a brief summary of thecontent should be included. Also, maintaincopies of any letters of commendation, awards,newspaper articles, and so on that you receive.

Ask for letters of support and reference from your volunteer or service placement.Such letters can speak to personal and work qualities such as dependability, punctuality, creativity, and flexibility as much as to specific skills. These can be especially helpful if you are new to the job market. They help to establish your credibility as a potential worker and supportthe personal qualities you have identified as important for a particular position.

Your backgroundExperience and education make up the

core of your résumé. The experience sectioncan include unpaid work, volunteer work, internships, service learning experiences, unstructured work, self-employment, and odd jobs. Search all areas of your back-ground for anything that relates to thespecific skills cluster and general attributesyour future employer is seeking. Relevantwork experience is not limited to paid employment. If you are changing careers or exploring new areas, an unpaid experience that allowed you to develop new skills may be a better indicator of your ability to perform in a new area thanpaid employment in an unrelated area.

Examples of unpaid, non-traditional experiences should be written up just like paid employment. For example:

Public Relations Chair, Northwest CenterDeveloped and implemented a marketing/public relations strategy for the NorthwestCenter. Responsible for creating public and media relations efforts for the introduction of a new senior healthprogram, which provided 24-hour emer-gency care for senior residents. Arrangednumerous meetings and interviews withlocal newspapers, television, and radio stations; developed written publications

for distribution citywide; and produced an in-house video.

Recreation Centre Remodeling Project,Summer 2000Organized 120 community volunteers to paintthe interior of XYZ Recreation Centre. Solicitedneighbourhood merchants for paint and sup-plies, including refreshments for all workers.Arranged for a local artist to design and paint a mural on entryway walls. Contacted localnewspapers and television for press coverage.

Librarian, Ellis FoundationCreated a library that specialized in volunteermanagement and board development for the Ellis Foundation and its affiliate members.Created a computerized catalogue of all mate-rials, indexed and cross-referenced material,and developed circulation procedures. Devel-oped an annual project budget. Researchedmaterials and recommended new additions.Wrote monthly book reviews for affiliate

newsletter. Supervised all local and out-of-state circulation of materials.

Another option is to list volunteer serviceunder Special Interests or Community Involvements. These experiences demonstratecharacter traits such as motivation, commit-ment, and initiative.

When filling out a job application, include relevant volunteer and service experienceunder Work History. If it asks for a salary,write unsalaried. Some organizations calculate a dollar value for the volunteerservice. If you have that information, you might share it during the interview. Some applications have an “activities” section where you can list community involvement, associations, memberships, and so on. Remember, you are not limited to listing your volunteer and service activitiesin this section.


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During the interviewIt will be up to you to discuss your volunteerand service history during the job interview.Talk about relevant activities and identify specific skills learned and used in your volunteer position. Be prepared to presentletters and other materials from your docu-mentation portfolio to supplement yourapplication and résumé. If your volunteer and service experience was meaningful to you, it will come across that way in the interview. Share challenges and growthexperiences.

Volunteer and service experiences are valuable, viable opportunities for acquiringnew skills and aptitudes. Do not hesitate to put all your experiences to work for you. Allow your résumé to professionallyshowcase your volunteer and service accomplishments and abilities.

Volunteer recognitionIf you are a volunteer manager, program oragency director, or board member, think abouthow you can help members and volunteersdocument the service they have given your or-ganization. When you write a letter of thanksto a volunteer, committee participant, or boardmember, identify and compliment particularskills and abilities displayed, as well as accom-plishments. This is an important component ofoverall volunteer recognition.

If you are an officer in your association or serving on a committee or board, thinkabout the abilities you have learned or acquired. Ask others who are serving withyou to write letters to document skills such as meeting management, leadership, recordkeeping, and organization.

This article is licensed under a Creative CommonsLicense: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0

MT


“Volunteer and service experiences are valuable,

viable opportunities for acquiring new skills.”

22

Volunteers are an essential part of anyorganization. Every charity and not-for-profit organization needs moreresources to face the many challengesof today and the future. The RMTAOis no exception. Our volunteers areour backbone, allowing us to take onprojects and challenges that wouldotherwise not be possible.

In this issue of Massage TherapyToday, the RMTAO profiles one suchvolunteer. Krystin Bokalo has dedi-cated her time and energy to helpingthe association achieve its goals inmoving the profession forward. Wesat down with Krystin to talk aboutvolunteering and what it has meantto her professional career.

Krystin has been an RMT since December 2009. She currently worksat HealthQuarters in Burlington,Ontario, where she helps her clientslive up to the clinic’s motto of “livelong and live well.”

Krystin has also been a member ofthe RMTAO since 2009. While thismakes her a relatively new member,her dedication and support of the association have been invaluable.Krystin is a volunteer on the RMTAO’spublication content review panel,with which she reads, reviews, and

edits articles and submits feedback for a number of RMTAO publications.Krystin has also taken on the role ofChair of the RMTAO membershipcommittee. This committee is cur-rently working on the development of a new awards program for the association to be presented to theBoard of Directors for approval.

What is your background andwhy did you became an RMT?I graduated in 2008 from an athletictherapy program and was immersedin athletics, working for several sporting teams. It was my exposure to the athlete population that mademe realize the benefits of massagetherapy in the treatment and rehabili-tation of individuals. It ultimately ledme to go back to school at the OntarioCollege of Health and Technology inStoney Creek, Ontario, to complete my massage therapy diploma.

Have you been volunteering your whole life?For as long as I can remember, I have volunteered my time in one capacity or another. I remember going through high school and volun-teering at my local hospital, workingwith everyone from children to thegeriatric patients. I continued at thehospital for some time, eventually

helping oversee student volunteers.Throughout the years I have also volunteered with soup kitchens andhanded out care packages of food to the homeless in Toronto. It is something I’ve enjoyed and felt theneed to do.

What type of volunteer activitiesdo you currently participate in? Currently I have taken my enjoymentin volunteering and the enjoyment Ihave for my professional career andvolunteered my time at marathonsand other fitness-related eventswithin my community.

Do you volunteer your efforts in the field of massage therapyor outside of it?I would have to say both!

How has volunteering added to your life? To your professional career?I feel like I am very fortunate foreverything I have in life. With thatbeing said, I think volunteering hashelped me realize how lucky I am and how I can take my strengths to help others. Professionally, volun-teering has allowed me to networkwith a wide variety of regulatedhealth professionals.


RMTAO Interviews: Krystin Bokalo, BAHSc, CAT(cc), RMT


“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world.Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” —Margaret Mead


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What is the value in volunteering for you?Volunteering allows me to give backto both the community I grew up inand to the profession I now work in. I think that is value in itself.

What led you to volunteer your time and energy to the RMTAO?Volunteering with the RMTAO was a very easy decision for me; I knewwhen I became an RMT that volun-teering with the association was high on my list. I wanted to bring my strengths and interests to theRMTAO and help in any way I could.Volunteering has always been an important aspect of my life, so bring-

ing it together with my professionwas a natural decision.

Has volunteering allowed you to network and increase yourcircle of peers?When you volunteer with the RMTAOor through a different avenue, I feellike you always meet someone that is in the same profession or an alliedhealth care profession. Through volunteering, my circle of peers hasgrown drastically and allowed me tofurther understand other regulatedhealth professions.

Has volunteering enhanced your practice or changed you as an RMT?

Volunteering has allowed me to interface with a wide range of individ-uals, which has helped me within my practice in understanding myclients and relating to them evenmore. I believe volunteering hasfurther enhanced my compassionwhen treating.

Would you recommend volunteering and charity work to others?Of course! I would encourage every-one to volunteer their time to eitherthe profession or a cause that is important to them. It is as simple as setting aside a few hours a week,yet the personal reward is far greaterthan anything I can think of. MT


Aparna Prabhune, CGA, is from The TaxManagement Centre,

Oakville, Ontario.

By Aparna Prabhune, CGA


Charitable DonationsTax Credit

Canadians contribute to the well-being of their communities by donating money

to charitable and non-profit organizations. This funding supports the provision of services,delivery of programs, and purchase of equip-ment and other materials. Charitable andnon-profit organizations, in turn, support thecommunity in many ways.

What is a charitable donation?When you make a donation and receivenothing in return, it is a gift. When you give a gift to a registered charitable organization,the gift qualifies for a charitable donation tax credit. As stated by Margot Bai in herbook Spend Smarter, Save Bigger, the dona-tion tax credit is the government’s way ofensuring that we donate with pre-tax dollars.In other words, the government does notwant us to pay tax on the money we donateto registered charities.

Donations or gifts to charities include cash,securities of listed public companies, life-insurance policies, a residual interest in trusts,ecologically sensitive land, and Canadian cultural property.

What is the tax credit?The donation tax credit gives a return equiva-lent to the lowest marginal tax rate (in yourprovince) on the first $200 that you donate,and the highest marginal tax rate tax crediton the remainder. In dollar values, a donationof $250 will give an individual a federal taxcredit of $44.50—($200 � 15%) + ($50 � 29%)—with a corresponding provincial tax credit of$15.68—$200 � 5.05%) + ($50 � 11.16%).

It is not a tax deduction but a tax credit that

is applied against federal and Ontario taxespayable. The donation is limited to 75% of yournet income for tax purposes. And any unusedamounts may be carried forward for five years.

Registered charities and how to donateRegistered charities are charitable organiza-tions, public foundations, or privatefoundations that are established in Canadaand reside in Canada. Registered charitiesoperate for charitable purposes and mustdevote their resources to charitable activities.Every registered charity has a registrationnumber from the Canada Revenue Agency.They are exempt from paying tax on theirrevenue, and can issue official donation receipts. You can confirm if the charity is a registered charitable organization by checking its registration www.cra-arc.gc.ca/chrts-gvng/lstngs.

Tax strategiesIf you are just starting out on your charitablegiving pursuit then you may be donating lessthan $200 each year. Here are some strategiesto maximize your tax credit return.• If you have a spouse, you can maximize the tax credit by including all the charitabledonations on the tax return of one spouse.• You can carry forward your donation taxcredit for up to 5 years and only use the $200limit once. For example: If you donate $100every year, instead of getting the lowest taxcredit every year, you can carry it forward upto 5 years so that out of your $500 donated,$300 will be given a tax credit at the highestmarginal rate.

For more information, contact a professionaltax advisor. MT

26

“ In 2009, Statistics Canada

reported thatCanadians

donated over$7.8 billion to charitable organizations

providing invaluable

services aroundthe world.”

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