Legal help with a bequest
Are you helping a friend, family member or client include a gift for Oxfam in their Will?
Thank you for helping to make a Will that includes a bequest to Oxfam Australia. Please refer to our suggested wording or you can download our Will guide and Oxfam for further information. To make sure that your loved one or client’s gift reaches us, please:
- Use our correct registered name: Oxfam Australia;
- Include our ABN: 18 055 208 636
- Include our address: 355 William St West Melbourne VIC 3003
If your loved one or client would like their gift to be used for a specific purpose, please contact our Bequests team on 1800 088 110 to confirm whether their wishes can be carried out.
A Will gives you the power to choose how your assets can benefit your loved ones and adding a bequest to Oxfam ensures you leave a legacy that benefits people all around the world. When preparing a will we recommend you consult a legal advisor to ensure your Will is valid, and sets out the way you want your estate to be distributed.
Choosing an Executor of a Will
Choosing the executor of your Will is an important job requiring careful consideration. This is the person who makes sure that your wishes are carried out and holds the responsibility of collecting your assets, paying any debts and ensuring that your estate is distributed correctly.
If you’re an executor or solicitor helping a client include a gift for Oxfam in their Will, you can read more here.
What does an executor do?
When you choose an executor for your Will, the person is expected to:
- Contact the beneficiaries in the Will and notify them of their entitlements
- Value the estate and then keep records of the valuations
- Make financial decisions based on the assets and money in your estate
- Organise the payment of any debts
- Liaise with the Australian Tax Office (ATO) and complete any income tax returns
- Divide the estate, and supply relevant documentation to all beneficiaries.
How to choose an executor
Choosing who will be the executor of your Will is an important decision. Although anyone deemed to be sound of mind and over 18 can be appointed as an executor, there are a number of factors you need to consider before making your decision.
Things to think about include:
- Will the person have to deal with any likely disputes and if so, will they be able to handle that stress?
- Does the person have the right skill-sets for dealing with potentially complex financial, family and legal affairs?
- Will your executor also be a beneficiary of your Will, resulting in perceived or real conflicts of interests with other family members or friends?
While family members such as a spouse, partner or children are often appointed as executors, it can sometimes be beneficial to choose a professional advisor such as a solicitor, accountant, trustee company or friend of the family, instead.
Choosing an Executor of a Will
Thank you for making sure that a bequest to Oxfam Australia is properly administered. You will need to send us the following information:
- a cover note that includes your contact details, and the full name and last known address of the deceased person;
- a copy of the final Will and any codicils;
- and a statement of estate accounts.
When you’re ready to distribute the estate, please make the check payable to Oxfam Australia, then contact us to finalise the details on 1800 088 110, or email us at bequest@oxfam.org.au.
