A guide to including a gift in your Will
1. Speak with your friends and family
Creating or changing your Will is a very personal decision, and an important one. Discussing a gift in your Will with your family ensures that they understand your wishes.
2. Choose What Type of Gift You Want to Leave
There are a number of ways you can leave a gift in your Will to Orange Sky. You can leave a share of your estate, a fixed sum of money, or a specific gift. See below for more information on the types of gifts you can leave.
3. Find an Executor
An executor is the person you appoint in your Will to administer your estate, ensure your debts are paid and that your assets and possessions are distributed as you wished. You can select from one to four executors for your Will. These can be friends, relatives, your solicitor, your bank, or your local Trustee. Orange Sky Australia is unable to act as an executor of your estate.
4. Get Some Professional Advice
Your Will is an important document that must be properly prepared and executed. We recommend using a solicitor to make sure the wording is correct, and your Will is legal and valid. If you are kind enough to be leaving a gift in your Will to Orange Sky, please scroll down for suggested wording as well as important information for your solicitor.
5. Write your Will
Your Will must be in writing, include specific wording, and be signed and dated on every page. Your signature must be witnessed by two people who are not beneficiaries in your Will. The signatures of your witnesses must be on every page. Your solicitor can help you with this step.
6. Store your Will Somewhere Safe
You may choose to store your Will with your solicitor, with relatives or in a Safe Custody envelope at your bank. No matter where you choose to store your Will, make sure your executors and loved ones know where to find it. You should also keep a copy for your own records.
Which type of gift is right for you?
The remainder of your estate, or a percentage of the remainder of your estate, once provisions have been made for your loved ones, and all expenses have been paid. “I give to Orange Sky Australia Limited (ABN 85 890 622 990) for its general purposes, free of all duties, ___% of my residuary estate for which an authorised receipt from Orange Sky Australia will be a sufficient discharge for the executor or trustee.”
A specific sum of money from your estate. “I give to Orange Sky Australia Limited (ABN 85 890 622 990) for its general purposes, free of all duties, the sum of $___ for which an authorised receipt from Orange Sky Australia will be a sufficient discharge for the executor or trustee.”
An item of value, for example, a piece of art, shares, stocks or even real estate, which is specifically named in your Will, and which can be sold to support our work. “I give to Orange Sky Australia Limited (ABN 85 890 622 990), for its general purposes, free of all duties _ _ _ for which an authorised receipt from Orange Sky Australia will be a sufficient discharge for the executor or trustee.”
Information for solicitors
Legal Name: Orange Sky Australia LimitedCharity ABN: 85 890 622 990Address: PO Box 274, Hamilton Central, QLD 4007Telephone: 07 3067 5800Email: giftinwill@orangesky.org.au Orange Sky Australia is a registered charity with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC)
Frequently Asked Questions
An up-to-date Will is the only way to make sure that, after you pass away, your wishes are carried out. If you die without making a Will, your assets will be distributed according to a pre-determined formula and may not provide for the people and issues you care about as intended.
Our preference is to receive a gift for general purposes so that Orange Sky may use it where the need is greatest at the time. However, if you have a particular area of interest and would like your gift to be utilised in that area, please let us know as we’d be happy to chat about how we can accommodate your wishes.
A residual gift is the most flexible way to give, though we’re extremely grateful to receive any gift you consider to be appropriate.
Your solicitor can assist you to create a Codicil which is a simple addition to your existing Will. It is not advisable to amend your existing Will yourself – consulting your solicitor is important to ensure that your original Will is not affected, and your changes correctly reflect your wishes.
Of course! It’s an honour and a privilege to receive a gift in Will. Regardless of its size, it will make a tangible difference in helping us connect our communities for generations to come.
Orange Sky is unable to assist you in writing your Will. We recommend you consult with a solicitor, or the Public Trustee in your state that offers free Will-writing services.
We understand that making a Will is a personal and private matter. If you decide to include a gift to Orange Sky in your Will, we would love to be able to thank you personally for your very important gift, and keep you informed and updated on our work. Knowing about your gift in Will allows us to plan ahead so that your legacy can make the greatest impact for our friends experiencing homelessness.
Any information supplied to Orange Sky is strictly confidential, and is protected by our privacy policy. If you do not wish to have your gift acknowledged, or receive updates or communications from Orange Sky, please let us know on giftinwill@orangesky.org.au
