Leaving a gift in your will

A gift in your will helps make sure that Australians facing serious illness are not fighting consumer debt in the time that matters most.

What a gift in your will can do

Life Without Debt resolves consumer debt for Australians living with terminal, life-limiting, chronic or serious illness — free at the point of use. A gift in your will lets that work continue for the next family, the next carer, the next person who calls us because everything else has already gone wrong. You do not need to be wealthy to leave a gift. Any amount, or a percentage of what remains after you have looked after the people you love, makes a difference.

Suggested wording for your solicitor

This wording is a starting point only. Please have your solicitor tailor it to your circumstances and your state's succession law. If your existing will already exists, a codicil (a short amending document) is usually all that is needed.

Types of gift you can leave

• Residuary gift — a percentage of what remains of your estate after specific gifts to family and friends. This is the most common form of charitable bequest because it accounts naturally for changes in the value of your estate over time.
• Pecuniary gift — a fixed dollar amount.
• Specific gift — a particular asset (shares, property, an artwork, an insurance policy).
• Whole-estate gift — where you have no dependants or your dependants have already been provided for elsewhere.

What we ask of you

Please look after the people who depend on you first. A gift to charity should never come at the cost of family members who rely on you. Australian succession law also gives certain people (spouses, children, dependants) the right to make a family provision claim against an estate — your solicitor will explain how this affects your options.

If you decide to leave a gift, please tell us if you feel comfortable doing so. It helps us plan the work for the years ahead. But your gift can also be entirely anonymous — we will not chase you, and telling us puts you under no obligation to keep the gift in your will.

Recognising bequestors

We are building a bequest-society model that recognises people who have told us of their intended gift, in a way you control. Options will include: no recognition at all; recognition by first name only; recognition in our annual impact report; recognition at a small annual event. We will develop the details of this programme together with the Board, and no recognition will happen without your written consent.

Speaking to us in confidence

If you would like to speak with someone at Life Without Debt about a bequest — including questions about how the charity is governed, how your gift would be used, or the mechanics of the process — please write to bequest@cosailifewithoutdebt.org. A member of the Board will respond personally. All bequest correspondence is treated in strict confidence.

Privacy & complaints

Bequest correspondence is protected under our Privacy Policy. If you have concerns about how we handle bequest enquiries, please raise them via our Complaints & Feedback page. All planned-giving materials are also subject to external Australian legal practitioner sight-check before final publication.

Version 0.1 · HA1 draft · Sprint 36. Related giving pages: One-off donation · Regular giving · Major donor case for support · Corporate partnership. Governance: Board & Governance.