Include a gift in your Will to Cancer Council Queensland

There are several options you can choose from when writing your Will:

• A residual gift: A simple way to include a gift that needn’t interfere with any other specific bequests left to loved ones. This type of bequest retains its value over time. By including a residual gift to Cancer Council Queensland you are instructing your executor that, once your debts are paid and specific gifts are distributed to loved ones named in your will, the remainder (or a proportion of the remainder) of your estate will be gifted to Cancer Council Queensland.
• A fixed specific gift: A gift in the form of other property such as real estate, shares, vehicles or items of jewellery.
• Whole or part of your estate – you can leave your entire estate or any part of your estate to Cancer Council Queensland.
• A fixed sum of money: Also known as a pecuniary bequest, in the form of a specific cash amount. Your solicitor can advise you of ways to ensure the gift retains its relative value (for example, by increasing the amount by reference to CPI).

You can use this information to give to your solicitor if you want to include a gift in your Will to Cancer Council Queensland (ABN 48 321 126 727):

• A residual gift: ‘I give, devise and bequeath… (insert either ‘all of my residuary Estate’ or ‘the fraction or percentage of your residuary Estate that you would like to give’) to Cancer Council Queensland presently of 553 Gregory Terrace Fortitude Valley, Queensland to be applied for… (insert either ‘its general charitable purposes’ or the specific purpose that you would like the gift to be used for).’
• A specific or monetary gift: ‘I give and bequeath… (insert particulars of the specific item being given or the sum of money being given) to Cancer Council Queensland presently of 553 Gregory Terrace Fortitude Valley, Queensland to be applied for… (insert either ‘its general charitable purposes’ or the specific purpose that you would like the gift to be used for).’
• Declaration: Irrespective of whether you make a specific or monetary gift or a residuary gift, after you make the gift in your Will, you should also include in your Will the following declaration – ‘In relation to that gift, I declare that a general charitable intent applies, a receipt signed by a person authorised by Cancer Council Queensland shall constitute a full and sufficient discharge to my Executors and my Executors are not obliged to see or enquire into the application of the subject matter of the gift made by me’.

Anyone can include a gift in their will (bequest) when making a Will. A gift in your Will means your extraordinary kindness and generosity can continue to make an impact, leaving an enduring legacy, changing and saving lives for generations to come.

If you’re thinking of making a Will, or any changes to your existing Will, we strongly suggest you talk to a solicitor to help you draft it. There are certain legal requirements for a Will to be valid and using a solicitor will make sure you get it right. T We’ve partnered with community-mind, local law firms across Queensland to provide a Free Will Service to those who kindly include a gift to Cancer Council Queensland when writing a Will.

If you already have a Will, the most cost-effective way to include a gift to Cancer Council Queensland is by adding a codicil – a short legal amendment to your Will. Check with your solicitor if a codicil is appropriate for the updates you wish to make. You can also update your Will for free using our Free Will Service.

Most of our supported choose to include a gift for ‘general purposes’ when writing a Will. Our research shows approximately 350,000 Queenslanders will be living with cancer by 2030, which means our cancer research, prevention and support services will be vitally important in the coming years. We want to make sure no Queenslander is left facing cancer alone.

Some people do choose to direct their gift to a particular type of cancer or other area of personal interest, perhaps because of their own experience with cancer or in tribute to a loved one lost to cancer.

These gifts are very welcome, and we would be delighted to honour your wishes. If you do have a specific purpose in mind, please feel free to contact our friendly Gift In Wills team for a confidential chat.