Bequests

Giving a charitable gift in your name or in honour of a loved one can mean the world of difference as we work for a future free from cancer.

If you choose to remember Cancer Council in your will, you can trust that good shall come from it. Cancer Council funded research has made a real contribution to the declining number of cancer deaths in the last 20 years.

Your gift will help us fund research, education and awareness programs and support services fro people affected by cancer.

“I know first-hand that the gift you leave in your will makes a real difference to the lives of cancer patients and carers. It enables us to provide tailored advice every day to callers to the 13 11 20 Information and Support line,” Hannah Baird, Cancer Divisions Program.

Cancer Council's commitment to you

It is our vision that together we can achieve a cancer free future. When people like you entrust us with a gift in your will, these are the assurances we make:

1. We respect the time needed to make this decision - your will is personal and it is your decision about when to write or review your will.
2. We understand you might change your mind - we recognise circumstances change and your right to reconsider your decision at any time.
3. We will honour and respect your privacy and your decision regarding your chosen level of engagement and communication with us.
4. We will invest your gift responsibly to extend our reach into the community and ensure your gift has a direct contribution to cancer research, advocacy, prevention, information and support.
5. We will continue to carry out our activities with accountability, openly and with transparency to ensure our community is kept up to date with the latest cancer information and our progress.
6. We will work with all parties handling your gift with care, sensitivity and respect to ensure your wishes are met.
7. We will give you and your loved ones the choice and opportunity to connect with the work we do, that is made possible with gifts like yours.
8. We will thank you and remember you for the enduring support you are giving to so many others.

If you're considering leaving a gift to Cancer Council in your will, we would love to talk to you and hear about the areas of our work you would like to support.

• Family and loved ones should always come first.
• We always recommend you seek advice from a solicitor when drafting your will. The wording is very important and your solicitor can advise you on the different types of gifts.
• It is an important step to talk to family and loved ones about your will. Communication will ensure your final wishes are carried out.
• Give us the opportunity to say thank you. By telling us you have included a gift in your will we recognise you as investing in future supportive care services and vital cancer research that will support so many others.

We are grateful when people decide to include a bequest to Cancer Council. Bequests are a vital source of income and we appreciate every gift.

Making a will

I'm using a Solicitor:

If you need to make a will, it is best to consult a solicitor who is experienced in wills and estates. The cost to do this varies significantly, don't be shy to shop around and get an estimate of fees up front.

I'm doing my own will:

If your estate is not complicated you may prefer to create a will yourself. Cancer Council recommends you seek professional advice when creating a will to ensure your will is valid.

If you are kind enough to be including a gift to Cancer Council in your will, make sure you include the correct wording.

Updating a will

If you already have a will, the most cost effective way to include a bequest to Cancer Council 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.

Many of our supporters ask - What kind of gift will deliver the most benefit to Cancer Council?

So many people choose to support us during their lifetime - to celebrate survivorship, honour the memory of a loved one, or just to show support and ease the burden for others. Often a gift in your will is a natural extension to ensure future support.

Knowing how different types of gifts deliver benefits for life-saving support and research, while safeguarding your loved ones, is important.

Residual gift - Once your debts are paid and provisions are made for loved ones named in your will, you can choose to leave the remainder (or a proportion of the remainder) of your estate to Cancer Council.

A residual bequest also provides a form of protection as you continue to fund your lifestyle. Furthermore, this type of bequest retains its value over time (unlike a specific cash gift that can reduce in value with inflation).

Whole or part of your estate - You can leave your entire estate or any part of your estate to Cancer Council.

A fixed specific gift - A gift in the form of other property such as shares or investments.

Fixed sum of money gift - Also known as a pecuniary bequest, this gift is in the form of a specified cash amount. As it may be many years before your gift will be realised, many of our donors choose to nominate a small percentage of their estate instead of a fixed cash sum. Either way we are very grateful for the support you are giving so many others.

Many of our supporters have been touched by cancer themselves, and so you may wish your estate to be invested in an area of personal interest, or in tribute to a loved one who may have been lost to cancer.

Most of our supporters have chosen to include a gift for 'general purposes,' but to allow us to honour your wishes effectively, we would ask you give us a call for a confidential chat.