How to include a gift to ACF in your will
After you’ve taken care of your loved ones, including a gift to ACF in your will is an easy and effective way to pass on the nature you love. It can be helpful to discuss your wishes with your loved ones to ensure they understand why your gift is meaningful to you.
Step 1: Decide what type of gift you’d like to leave
You can specify any amount or percentage of your estate that you feel comfortable gifting to ACF. A bequest doesn’t impact your wealth during your lifetime and only takes effect when administering your estate. A gift, of any size, will make a difference to the impact of our work.
Residual gift
A residual gift leaves the remainder (or a proportion of the remainder) of your estate to ACF after other beneficiaries have been looked after and all expenses and claims have been paid. Unlike a cash sum, inflation will not diminish the value of a residual gift.
Percentage or nominated portion
You can divide your estate amongst a number of people and/or organisations. Your gift to ACF can be a percentage or proportion of the whole of your estate, or of what is left over (the residue) after individual gifts have been made.
Specific gift or asset
You can leave a specific asset such as property or shares to ACF. Gifts of shares and other property do not attract Capital Gains Tax for ACF or the estate.
Cash sum
You can leave a specific cash sum of your choosing to ACF. It is important to note that the value of cash gifts can diminish over time with inflation.
Step 2: Speak to a legal professional
We recommend that you seek independent professional legal advice when preparing or updating your will. Professional advice is the best way to ensure that your intentions will be upheld and that your estate will be distributed correctly.
If you need a solicitor, the law society in your state or territory can refer you to one.
Step 3: Include the correct wording
Our suggested wording for a will is:
“I give the residue… OR
“I give [insert percentage]% of the residue… OR
"I give [insert specific amount or asset]…
…of my estate free from all debts (secured and unsecured) and all duties and taxes (whether federal or state) payable in respect of my estate to the Australian Conservation Foundation Incorporated (ABN 22 007 498 482) (“ACF”) for its general purposes, and I declare that the receipt of an authorised officer of the said ACF shall be a full and sufficient discharge of this bequest.”
Step 4: Let us know
If you have taken the legal steps to include a gift to ACF in your will, we would be so grateful if you could let us know. By sharing your intentions, you give ACF the opportunity to thank you for your gift and welcome you to our Living Legacy Community. Knowing about your gift also allows ACF to plan for the future.
Any information you share with ACF will be held in the strictest confidence in accordance with our privacy policy.
You can let us know via the online form or by contacting the gifts in wills team on 1800 223 669 or at [email protected].