Remembering the Gondwana Rainforest Trust in Your Will
Leaving a gift to the Gondwana Rainforest Trust (Gondwana Rainforest Trust) in your Will is one of the most effective and enduring ways you can help safeguard the future of our rainforests. Your foresight and generosity in giving beyond your lifetime will ensure that the Gondwana Rainforest Trust can continue to protect rainforests and endangered wildlife well into the future.
Your gift, no matter the size, can help create a lasting conservation legacy for your loved ones and for future generations.
Why you need a Will
Everybody should make a Will, whether they have a few possessions or many. Without a Will, the government, not you, will decide how your estate is to be distributed. If you die without a Will (‘intestate’) the court will appoint a person to manage your estate. If you do not have a close family and do not leave a Will, the proceeds of your estate will likely pass to the State Government.
How to make a Will
It is necessary for you to comply with a number of legal requirements. While it is possible for you to prepare your own Will, it is recommended that you seek advice from a solicitor. You can change your Will whenever you like, and you should review your Will every few years to ensure that it is relevant.
When making a Will remember to:
- Choose a trusted Executor: this person is responsible for carrying out your wishes • Communicate: ask your Executor if they are willing to accept this responsibility • Cooperate: seek cooperation from family members to avoid problems in the future • List your possessions: decide how you would like them distributed
Updating your Will
If you already have a Will it is important to ensure that it is kept up-to-date to reflect any changes in your wishes or personal circumstances such as marriage, births, divorce or death in your family. If you wish to make an addition to your Will, rather than making a completely new Will, you can discuss with your solicitor the option to add a codicil. This is straightforward and not expensive.
Leaving a bequest to GONDWANA RAINFOREST TRUST
There are a number of different ways you can leave a bequest to Gondwana Rainforest Trust:
- A percentage: You may wish to nominate a percentage of your total estate to Gondwana Rainforest Trust. The advantages of this sort of bequest are that if your estate diminishes over time, your other beneficiaries will not be disadvantaged by a significant fixed bequest. Similarly, a fixed amount may also depreciate over time so the value of your gift at the time when your estate is distributed may be less than you intended.
- The residue: This is a gift of whatever is the remainder of your estate once all specified gifts have been disbursed and expenses deducted. You can leave the whole or part of the residue to Gondwana Rainforest Trust.
- Specific amount: You may nominate a specific sum of money to Gondwana Rainforest Trust; however, this does not allow for changes in your circumstances or inflation.
- Specific items: You may specify items such as real estate, shares, debentures, bank deposits, insurance, and superannuation policies to be directed to Gondwana Rainforest Trust in your Will
Suggested wording
As a resident of Australia, it is important that you clearly identify Gondwana Rainforest Trust in the wording of your Will. We suggest that you use the following wording:
“I leave to the Gondwana Rainforest Trust (ABN 49 628 358 323), the whole of my Estate (or …% of my Estate; or the residue of my Estate; or the sum of $...), free of all duties and taxes, to be applied for its general purpose in such manner as Gondwana Rainforest Trust may determine. The receipt of an authorised officer, director or executive officer of Gondwana Rainforest Trust will be sufficient discharge of my executor’s duty.”
Ensuring your gift is effective
Our conservation projects and areas of priority focus could be very different from what they are today. In order for your gift to have the most impact, it is important that you don’t restrict the funds to a particular project so that we can direct your gift to where the need is greatest.
Legal and tax status
The Gondwana Rainforest Trust is an Australian Company Limited by Guarantee (ABN 49 628 358 323) and is a registered charity with the Australian Charities and Not-for-Profits Commissions (ACNC).
Please let us thank you
Once you have made your decision to leave a bequest to Gondwana Rainforest Trust, we encourage you to advise us of your intentions. You deserve to be thanked in your lifetime and we would welcome the opportunity to thank you personally for your lasting legacy. Contact us for further information
To advise us of your intention or to request further information, please contact Kelvin Davies at 0437 423 119 or email [email protected].
Any information provided will be treated in the strictest confidence. Thank you for considering Gondwana Rainforest Trust at this important time.
Disclaimer
The information and the suggested wording are provided as a general guide only. It is not provided as legal advice. You are advised to obtain your own legal advice prior to making a Will to ensure that your specific circumstances are taken into account. The Gondwana Rainforest Trust shall not be responsible for any loss or damage suffered by any person arising from reliance upon the information provided.