You can leave a lasting legacy

Choosing to remember The Selwyn Foundation with a gift in your Will is the perfect way to help New Zealand become a better place for those who follow. More and more people are choosing to leave a gift in their Will. It’s quite simple and can be accomplished in just a few easy steps…

1: Talk to us
Call or email The Selwyn Foundation to discuss leaving a gift in your Will and ask any questions you may have. (This step is optional.)

2: Include us in your Will
Make contact with a legal advisor, lawyer or Will provider and ask them to:
a) make a Will (if you do not already have one) or
b) make an amendment in your existing Will.

Provide them with the “Will wording”, detailing your gift to The Selwyn Foundation. We’ve included a template below that you can copy and paste, send via email, or simply dictate over the phone. (You may of course take guidance for the wording from your own legal advisor.)

3: Let us know
Once the process is complete, please let us know when you have received your new or updated Will with the inclusion of your gift to The Selwyn Foundation. (This step is optional but recommended.)

To get started, simply contact our Gift in Wills/Bequest Advisor at The Selwyn Foundation on (+64) 09 849 9206 or email giving@selwynfoundation.org.nz. A gift in your Will to The Selwyn Foundation goes on giving forever. We thank you in advance on behalf of the many people you will help. 

A Will is personal, however we are always available to discuss your wishes and intentions if you would like. While including a gift to The Selwyn Foundation is a simple process, we thoroughly recommend you consult your legal and financial advisors in the drafting or changing of any Will.

If you are considering making a gift in your Will to The Selwyn Foundation, here is some suggested ‘Will wording’ to ensure your wishes are carried out:

I give and bequeath to The Selwyn Foundation, a registered charity with the New Zealand Charities Commission (CC23251),

[the residue of my estate] OR

[ …..% of the residue of my estate] OR

[my ………………] (describe specified items) OR

the sum of $………

free from all duties and charges, as a contribution to The Selwyn Foundation to be applied for ‘greatest needs’, for which the receipt of The Selwyn Foundation shall be sufficient discharge to my trustees.

In most cases, directing your gift to ‘greatest need’ is the best decision as it allows The Selwyn Foundation to use the gift where it can make the greatest impact at the time. It is possible however, if you have some specific intentions for your gift, for us to draw up a “Statement of Intentions” which instructs The Selwyn Foundation in exactly how you would like your gift to be used. This process would be a collaborative effort between you and The Selwyn Foundation. We want you to realise your philanthropic ambitions and balance it with delivering programmes and projects that are most important to meet the needs of vulnerable older people. These are defined by The Selwyn Foundation based on needs assessments and research at the time.

Philanthropy is based on voluntary action for common good. If you are considering leaving a gift in your Will through The Selwyn Foundation, we make the following commitments:

• We will always respect your privacy and any information about your donation will be handled with respect and with confidentiality to the extent provided by law.
• We recognise and appreciate that your Will is personal to you. Some donors choose not to tell us about gifts in their Will before their death. However, if you do tell us, (and we would sincerely appreciate knowing) we will respect your wishes in terms of how we contact and talk to you in the future.
• We will handle whatever gift you leave us with care, sensitivity and respect.
• We will use your gift carefully and cost effectively so that it has the greatest impact; and give you the opportunity to connect with the work we do during your lifetime.
• We will keep you informed of the organisation's mission, of the way the organisation intends to use donated resources, and of its capacity to use donations effectively for their intended purposes.
• We will keep you informed of the identity of those serving on the organisation's governing board, and to expect the board to exercise prudent judgment in its stewardship responsibilities.
• We will give access to the organisation's most recent charitable financial statements as part of being a registered charitable entity (CC23254) under the Charities Act 2005.
• We will be open about whether those seeking donations are volunteers, employees of the organisation or hired solicitors.
• We welcome you to ask questions when making a donation or a gift in your Will and you can expect to receive direct, prompt, and truthful answers.
• We recognise that your philanthropic commitment to help us may develop over a significant period of time and we are committed long term to making a difference to New Zealand’s older population
• Most importantly we will commit to the delivery of greater impact to vulnerable older people as promised.

Absolutely. Most of our gifts through Wills come from modest and caring New Zealanders who look after their family appropriately first and then invest in the well-being of others by supporting a charitable purpose like The Selwyn Foundation.

Yes, this a very powerful way to honour a loved one, or mark an important day. Talk to us further on how to make this happen.

No, however any gifts made within your lifetime are. New Zealand resident taxpayers receive a 33.3% tax credit on any gift over $5 per annum (up to a limit of total net taxable income for all gifts combined in a given tax year). If tax deductibility is important to you, talk to us about leaving a “Living Legacy”.

Costs vary greatly, however a simple Will (made for example through The Public Trust) can be made for around $100-200, with more complex Wills costing upwards of $500 or more. Making a simple change in your Will, such as adding a gift to a charitable organisation such as The Selwyn Foundation, may only cost around $50-$200. These estimates are based on average costs across various public providers and Will services. The values will be higher or lower depending on who you have or choose as your provider/law firm/solicitor and the complexity of the contents or any changes in your Will.

All ‘Gifts in Wills’ (also known as Bequests), unless otherwise specified, are used for “greatest needs” which support alleviating key priorities facing older people, namely:

• Social Isolation & Loneliness
• Financial Hardship Support Grants
• Affordable Rental Housing
• Spirituality

Wherever possible, we encourage donors making a gift through their Will, to give to the “greatest need”. There are key reasons for this is because the needs may change. For example, hardships facing older people today may not be the same in a few years. By donating to “greatest need” you can be sure your legacy is helping whoever, whenever and wherever to meet the greatest need.

A small proportion of our donors may feel passionately about supporting a specific need or wish to invest a significant financial gift towards a specific area such as the Selwyn Centres. This process would be collaborative between you and The Selwyn Foundation. The Selwyn Foundation will guide you on the most important needs of older people, the programmes and projects that are designed to meet those needs and help you to realise your philanthropic ambitions.

In some cases we may be unable to comply with a donor’s request. But we are committed to working with donors collaboratively. We welcome your involvement to meet the needs of older people that delivers the greatest impact.

There are many ways to include our charitable Foundation in your Will. The most frequent types of gifts are:

• Giving the residue of your estate, or a part of what remains after your loved ones have received their share.
• Giving a percentage or proportion of your estate. This ensures that The Foundation receives the share of your estate that you desire, no matter how much your estate may have increased or decreased since you made your Will.
• Giving a specific amount of money or an asset such as shares, a life insurance policy or property.

Absolutely. Whilst we like to know that you have given a gift in your Will to our organisation so we may show our gratitude, we understand that some people prefer to remain anonymous and we respect that decision. If you choose to let us know, you can trust that every gift is given in complete confidence and any request for anonymity will be forever upheld.

• It means feeling a sense of belonging and being cared about.
• It means culture is respected and understood.
• It means there is a sense of security, knowing things will be all right.
• It means less loneliness, less sadness, less stress and less illness.
• It means new friendships between engaged seniors from all corners of society.
• It means there is a Selwyn Centre close by with many wonderful offerings.
• It means faith and spirituality are nurtured.
• It means the availability of hardship grants for important needs.
• It means we have tangible influence on policies impacting older people.
• It means that all our elderly, especially our most vulnerable, can live with dignity.