MS: Busting the Myths
A charitable bequest is a gift specified in your will and gives you the opportunity to acknowledge the ongoing important and vital work of MSNZ. A bequest enables the gifting of property, an insurance policy, cash or other assets from your estate to a designated organisation such as MSNZ. Whatever form your gift takes it produces the same result – better outcomes for New Zealanders affected by MS.
Such instructions in your will enable you to gift to those closest to you as well as helping people in need. Leaving a bequest to MSNZ guarantees you will continue to help improve the lives of those who need your help.
It’s a common myth that only the rich and famous leave money to charity when they die. This couldn’t be any further from the truth. The reality is without the gifts left in wills by people like you, many of the charities in New Zealand wouldn’t even exist.
Bequests are the foundation for many of the charities in the NZ and are vital in making sure that all the good work they do can continue. For some people, giving through their estate is the only time they will be able to give a significant gift to an organisation that they support.
Of course your loved ones come first, but even just a small gift in your will could help us improve the lives of people with multiple sclerosis (MS). A gift to MSNZ is a gift that makes a difference and lives on in memory. Your gift will help future generations living with the effects of MS. Ways you can help MSNZ in your bequest include:
Most people will choose to donate to the general funds of the Society across New Zealand. This can be specified in your will using words similar to:
“to be used for general charitable purposes in New Zealand”
However if you have a specific way in which you would like your funds to be used we would be happy to discuss this with you further.
Please contact us on 0800 MS LINE (67 5463) or info@msnz.websitereview.nz so we ensure that we use your future gift according to your wishes.
It is vital to document any bequests and legacies you wish to make through your will. A bequest to MSNZ can be made through writing a will or making an amendment (Codicil) to your existing will. Making a will ensures that your estate is distributed according to your wishes. Your will enables you to gift to those closest to you as well as helping people in need. Your gift will make a real difference to the most vulnerable people and the future generations that follow them.
If you have already made a will, but would like to include a gift to MSNZ in it, you can do so by asking your solicitor or Trust Company to make a simple addition to your existing will. This is called a Codicil. If you want to leave a gift to MSNZ but have already made a will, it’s not a problem, there are a couple of simple ways you can change it.
We recommend discussing your wishes with your family or Trustees so they are aware that you would like to make a gift to MSNZ. If you would like to advise MSNZ of your next of kin we will ensure that we contact them following the receipt of your bequest and update them as to how your gift has been used.
Once a new will is written, it makes any wills made by that person in the past void. In fact, most wills will start by reciting that you’re making a will and that you’re revoking previous wills.
You can include a gift to MSNZ by asking your solicitor or Trust Company to make a simple addition to your existing will. This is called a codicil. A codicil is a document used to change a will that has already been made. It’s used as a way to make simple additions or amendments to an existing will like a change in the amount of a gift of money; or the addition of an executor or gift.
This is all quite straight forward but problems can occur if you ever want to cancel the will in the future. When you cancel a will with a codicil, the codicil does not get cancelled automatically, so when you make a new will it can create inconsistencies and legal problems. If you choose to use a codicil be very careful that next time if you make a new will, it clearly states that you are revoking all wills and codicils previously made.
To make a bequest to MSNZ in your will or to make an amendment (codicil) to your existing will, please email us and ask for further information to be sent to you.
We understand that priorities change throughout your life whether your family needs more support, or your interests change. If you have advised us that you are making a bequest to MSNZ and this changes for any reason we kindly ask that you give us a call so that we can keep this on our records.
