Leave a Bequest in your Will

A bequest in your Will is an excellent way to help Entrust to continue having an impact in the lives of the poor in hard places well into the future. Every day Entrust is working with our local partner organisations doing effective community development, bringing clean safe water and sanitation to communities, providing the marginalised opportunities to get an education and a brighter future; equipping and empowering women to grow small businesses to provide for their families, lifting themselves out of poverty; and fighting against human trafficking through prevention, rescue and restoration projects. We do all of this with the conviction that transformation needs to be wholistic. We work to meet the practical, emotional, physical and spiritual needs of the poor.

You can be assured that leaving a bequest for Entrust’s future mission is a sound decision because:

• Entrust has consistently served the poorest of the poor, often in the most remote, hardest places for 16 years, making us a well-established organisation with an excellent reputation.
• Entrust delivers transformational support to the world’s poorest and most vulnerable communities, because of the faithful support from our many donors. Your generous bequest can enable us to reach many more people well into the future.
• Entrust works in 13 countries with 43 partner organisations supporting 58 projects worldwide. Leaving a legacy bequest for Entrust will help us to continue serving and building capacity in local partner organisations on the ground in the countries where we work in the years ahead.
• Although our projects serve everyone regardless of race, creed, or religion, the bottom line is we are motivated and driven by Jesus Christ and His love for humanity – especially the poor. We seek to act justly, love mercy and walk humbly.

If you would like to discuss your legacy goals, please reach out to Nikki Capp on M. 0418 532 451 or E. nikki@entrust.org.au. All conversations are treated as highly confidential.

“I,…………………………give to Mission Enterprises (Vic) Ltd (ABN 44609903255 ) for its general purposes, free of all duties, the following: (whichever is applicable)

The sum of $…………….    

…………..% of my estate

The residue, or………………% of the residue of my estate

Life insurance policy number…………………………………    

Property situated at……………………………………………    

Other (details)………………………………………………….    
   
……………………………………………………………………
   
and I direct that the receipt of the Chief Executive Officer, or other proper officer of Mission Enterprises (Vic) Ltd or Entrust Foundation shall be sufficient discharge to my executor for the bequest.”

The precise wording that you use in your Will should be finalised with the help of a solicitor to ensure that your exact wishes are conveyed.

Gifts in Wills, Legacy Gifts, and Bequests – what are they?

• A gift in a Will, also known as a bequest or a legacy gift, is a specified gift left through a Will for a named beneficiary. The terms are interchangeable and simply refer to ‘the action of bequeathing something’ (Oxford Dictionary).

Should I obtain professional assistance when making my Will?

• As most would be aware, a Will is a legal document, which must fulfil certain criteria to be deemed ‘valid’ for eventual probate purposes. While ‘Will Kit’ options are available, it seems wise to seek professional advice from a solicitor, Public Trustee, or other appropriate professional when updating your Will.

Should I discuss my Will intentions with some of my family?

• It can be helpful to ensure family members are aware of your desire to include a bequest for a charity, which may prevent costly Will challenges in the future.

What gift options are available when making out a Will?

• There are four common types of gifts that may be left through a Will:
  • Residual: This is what is left over from your estate after first leaving gifts to your loved ones.
  • A Percentage or Fractional: Dividing your estate by percentage or fractions gives longevity to your Will because such gifts aren’t negatively influenced by inflation or changes in the value of your estate.
  • Pecuniary or Specific: This is a specified gift which can be money, property or stocks and shares.
  • Whole Estate: This comprises your entire estate and is usually left by those without family or other preferred beneficiaries.

What role does a charity have in the Will making process?

• Very little! Entrust Foundation’s role is to indicate types of gifts that could be left for our mission, along with suggested Will wording to ensure any gift included for our mission is successful.
• Beyond this, Entrust Foundation suggests careful and prayerful consideration when thinking about leaving a bequest for our mission. We believe family should come before charity gifts, and only encourage you to consider including Entrust in your Will after your family has been looked after.
• For ethical reasons, Entrust Foundation is unable to recommend any specific professional Will services or businesses. Our general bequest information is not offered as legal advice. We encourage everyone to seek independent professional advice when updating their Will.

Codicil Template:

Should you wish to include a gift in your Will and are not ready to update your whole Will, we have provided an easy to use codicil for your convenience. Codicils may be placed with a current Will (but must not be stapled to it as this invalidates the Will) as an addition, which may later be included in the body of the Will when it is next updated.

To download a codicil template please click here.