Leave A Legacy – Make A Positive Impact

Writing a Will may seem daunting, but it’s a crucial step in ensuring that your wishes are honoured, and your estate is distributed the way you intend. A Will is more than just a legal document, it’s a reflection of your values, your life, and the legacy you want to leave behind.

Supporting charities often brings to mind donations or volunteering, but one powerful and lasting way to give back is by leaving a gift in your Will. This type of contribution, often referred to as a "legacy gift" or "bequest," allows you to support the causes that matter most to you long after your lifetime.

More individuals are choosing to reflect their personal values by leaving a portion of their estate to charities alongside leaving parts of their estate to their friends and families.

Why Consider a Gift in Your Will?

By including a charity in your Will, you ensure that your values and passions continue to make a difference. This could mean providing ongoing support for education, health care, environmental conservation, or any cause that resonates with you. Your gift can create change and help fund initiatives that improve lives, leaving a meaningful legacy.

Incorporating a charitable gift into your Will is easier than you might think. You can choose to leave a specific amount, a percentage of your estate, or even particular assets such as property or investments. This flexibility allows you to tailor your gift to reflect your personal financial situation and charitable goals.

Types of Gifts You Can Leave

There are various ways to structure your charitable gift in your Will, including:

• Residuary Gift: This involves leaving a percentage of your estate after all other assets have been distributed.

• Specific Gift: You can choose to leave a fixed sum of money or a specific asset, like a piece of jewellery or real estate, directly to a charity.

• Whole Estate: a gift of your entire estate can be left to charity.

How do I leave a personal legacy in my Will?

Whether you have an existing Will or you’re about to write it for the first time, it’s never too late or early to start planning and documenting your legacy.

If you're considering including a charitable gift in your Will, follow these steps:

1.      Reflect on Your Values and Causes
Think about the charities or causes that matter most to you. Consider how you want your legacy to support these organisations and the impact you want to make.

2.      Identify Your Charities
Look into the charities you’re interested in. Check their missions, programmes, and financial practices to ensure they align with your values. This can help you feel more confident about your choice.

3.      Decide on the Details
Determine the type of gift and amount you wish to leave. Make sure to review your Will periodically to ensure it reflects any changes in your circumstances or preferences.

4.      Draft your Will
When writing your Will, clearly state your intentions regarding the charitable gift. Include the charity’s full name and charity number, Footprint automatically does this for you when you select a charity.

Here at Footprint, we’ve made it super easy for you to be able to have a bequest in your Will. We have integrated with the New Zealand Charity Register to assist you in automatically populating the charity number and other details to ensure your generous gift reaches the right cause.

All you need to do is enter the type of bequest you want to leave. You could also choose to let the charities of your choice know of your intended gift, they all truly appreciate the support so would want to thank you for considering them in your Will. Once your Will has been signed, enjoy the peace of mind knowing that one of your last actions will be to support and make a difference to a cause that has always been close to your heart.

The Impact of Your Legacy

No matter how big or small, leaving a gift to a charity in your Will is a great way to make sure your legacy lives on through causes that help improve the world.

With so many challenges facing our planet, it can feel overwhelming to think about how you can make a difference. But even a small gift to a charity you care about can give you comfort, knowing that one of your last actions was to help future generations.

There’s really no better legacy than that.