Gifts in Wills

You can leave your entire estate or any part of your estate to Bush Heritage.

A residual gift means once all specific gifts are distributed and your debts are paid, the remainder (or a proportion of the remainder) of your estate will be paid to Bush Heritage. This is a simple way to leave a gift that needn't interfere with any specific bequests to loved ones. It will also retain its value over time (unlike a specific cash gift that can reduce in value with inflation).

It can be difficult to choose a specific cash amount to leave when you don't know how much will be in your estate when the time comes. Making your gift a percentage of your estate, or of the residual of your estate, means no matter the value of your final estate, the proportion you intended for Bush Heritage stays the same.

You can leave any identifiable property as a bequest to Bush Heritage. A specific gift may include any sum of money, cash balances in a bank account, a residential house, commercial real estate or company shares.

If you're considering leaving real estate or shares to Bush Heritage, you may wish to consider leaving the gift in specie. This means it may be transferred directly to Bush Heritage and may save your estate paying capital gains tax on the sale of the asset. Seek appropriate legal advice to ensure this is suitable to your circumstance.

We highly recommend you seek independent, professional legal and tax advice when making or changing your Will to ensure your intentions will be realised and the distributions to beneficiaries will be maximised. Having your Will professionally written should not be expensive and provides peace of mind knowing your wishes are more likely to be upheld. If you need a solicitor, the law society of your state or territory can refer you.  

A good place to start is to contact your state or territory law society. They will maintain a directory of solicitors and may be able to refer you to an appropriate service. 

• The Law Institute of Victoria, (03) 9607 9311  
• The Law Society of NSW, (02) 9926 0333  
• The Queensland Law Society, 1300 367 757  
• The Law Society of South Australia, (08) 8229 0222  
• The Law Society of Western Australia, (08) 9342 8600  
• The Law Society of Tasmania, (03) 6234 4133
• The ACT Law Society, (02) 6274 0300
• The Law Society Northern Territory, (08) 8981 5104 

Bush Heritage Australia is a charity registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profit Commission. The Australian Taxation Office has endorsed Bush Heritage Australia for charity tax concessions, including exemption from income tax, and has also endorsed its public fund, Bush Heritage Australia Fund, as a deductible gift recipient. Bush Heritage Australia Fund, the public fund of Bush Heritage Australia, is listed on the Register of Environmental Organisations.

BUSH HERITAGE AUSTRALIA, ABN 78 053 639 115,  Level 10, 637 Flinders Street, Docklands VIC 3008.

This depends on a range of factors, so it's important to discuss your wishes with a member of our team if you're considering leaving a bequest of land to Bush Heritage.

You can, however superannuation and life insurance do not automatically form part of your Estate.  We recommend speaking to a legal professional make the appropriate arrangements.

Bush Heritage is unable to act as an executor. The costs of this would outweigh the benefits, as staff at Bush Heritage are not experienced or trained in estate administration. There is also a risk of perceived undue influence if your Will is contested for any reason.

We understand that making a Will can be a personal and private matter. Knowing we have such generous support allows us to personally thank our supporters, plan for the future, and support the fulfillment of your wishes.