A Gift in your Will

Making a difference together.

Your financial support can make a real difference in people's lives. For over 40 years The Hepatitis Foundation has been dedicated to helping New Zealanders with hepatitis.

An estimated 100,000 people in New Zealand have hepatitis B but, because there are often no symptoms, many of them don’t know they have it. They need people to focus on them, to educate them about the virus, its risks and how it can be managed, and that’s where we come in.

The Hepatitis Foundation of New Zealand (HFNZ) is a charitable trust, contracted to Health New Zealand to provide a long-term health monitoring programme that supports people living with hepatitis B.

We exist to support people living with hepatitis B, raise national awareness of it and help reduce its incidence in NZ. We strongly believe in health equity; everyone has a right to treatment, care and support, regardless of their culture, background, age, occupation or gender. We strive to engage with all communities in culturally sensitive ways and work together to achieve positive health outcomes. Our services have been developed with that in mind.

Call us on 0800 33 20 10 or email us to get more details on how a gift in your Will can help.

Why a will?

Some people don’t like to think about their own death and therefore do nothing to prepare for it. A Will lets you decide how your assets will be distributed on your death. The things you own, be it your own home, a car, investments, your furniture, bank accounts or just a few personal objects, make up your estate and someone must decide what is to happen to them on your death. if you do not make that decision yourself through a Will, then your estate will be distributed in accordance with the law. This may or may not result in your estate going to where you would have liked.

When is the Best Time to Make a Will?

Now is always the best time. If you do not have a Will, telephone your solicitor or trustee company today and make an appointment to have one prepared.

Can a Will be Changed?

You can change your Will at any time. From time to time your Will needs to be reviewed. As time passes, circumstances change—family members may be added or lost, your financial situation changes, your ideas as to who you want to see benefit from your estate may change. You need not change your entire Will. If you wish to add a clause (for instance to name an organisation such as The Hepatitis Foundation as one of your beneficiaries), you need only add a codicil.

Who Should Prepare a Will for You?

Your solicitor or trustee company. There are rules as to how a Will should be prepared and properly executed. Failure to comply with these may mean that all or some of your wishes expressed in your Will are unable to be fulfilled.

What Should I Put in My Will?

Name the person that you want as executor to see that your wishes are carried out.

Consider all the items that you own and the debts that you are likely to owe (the net amount is your estate). Then consider how you would like this dealt with on your death—what individuals and/or organisations you want to see benefit from your estate.

You need to remember that if you do not make adequate provision for relatives and dependants, they may apply to the court for greater benefits from your estate. Again, a solicitor or trustee company will advise you on this.

You may leave instruction on such matters as what you want done with your body (ie. cremation/burial) and your funeral service.

Different Types of Bequest

Your solicitor or trustee company can give you more information, but in general there are three major types of bequest.

A Specific Bequest - This is a gift of particular items of property, such as jewellery, books, clothing, car, etc. that you want to see go to a particular person or organisation.
A General Bequest - This is usually a sum of money or a percentage of the value of your estate given to a particular person or organisation.
A Residual Bequest - This is how you want the remainder of your estate to be dealt with after specific and general gifts (if any) have been given. For instance, you may leave gifts to relatives and friends and then state in your Will that the residue of your estate is to be divided between members of your family or left to an individual or an organisation such as The Hepatitis Foundation.

Using a will to help others

One of the joys in life is helping others. You may not have been able to help as much as you would have liked as you were building your estate or simply meeting daily living expenses. Your Will offers the chance to help others through The Hepatitis Foundation long after you have gone.

If you decide to leave a bequest to The Hepatitis Foundation, some examples of the options available to you are:

You can give a specific amount of money.
You can provide a percentage of your estate for The Hepatitis Foundation.
You can leave The Hepatitis Foundation, a particular item or items.
You can leave the residue of your estate to The Hepatitis Foundation, after particular items and/or general bequests (if any) have been given.
You can make a gift to The Hepatitis Foundation, to take effect after the death of your spouse—your spouse would have your estate for as long as he/she lived, then the indicated portion would revert to The Hepatitis Foundation.
You can make a bequest through a perpetual trust that will provide ongoing financial support.
You can take out a life insurance policy on your own life or on the life of another nominated person, with The Hepatitis Foundation nominated as the sole beneficiary. Alternatively, make the bonuses of your life insurance policy payable to The Hepatitis Foundation.

Wording for Your Will

You can specify an amount, a percentage, or the residue of your estate. Your solicitor or trustee company can advise you.

The wording required to include The Salvation Army in your Will is as follows:

‘I give free of all duties to The Hepatitis Foundation of New Zealand
[the sum of $ (specify)]
or [the residue of my estate]
or [(specify) % of the residue of my estate]
or [my (specify)] to be used and applied for general purposes.’

You and the Foundation

For more information on any aspect of making a Will, including The Hepatitis Foundation in your Will, or if you have already done so, please fill out your information below and we will reply soon.