Bequests

Leave a remarkable legacy by including EA NZ in your will

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Leaving a gift in your will is a powerful way to show that you want to contribute to a better future for generations to come.

We appreciate your parting gift, no matter the amount. Big or small, your legacy will make a difference in the years to come.

While it’s easy to include a gift to EA NZ in your will, we do recommend that you seek the advice of a lawyer. Simple errors in wording can create confusion and delays in carrying out your wishes.

That said, an example of the wording you could include is:

"I give to the Effective Altruism NZ Charitable Trust (CC53092) howsoever called now or in the future or its successor, ___% of my estate for its general purposes. A receipt from a duly authorised officer of the EA NZ Charitable Trust shall be full and sufficient discharge to my trustee/s for this legacy."

Leaving a gift for ‘general purposes’ means that we can use it wherever the need is greatest. If you’d like to allocate your gift to a specific purpose, we recommend you or your lawyer contact us so that we can help you outline your request. Needs can change over time, and we want to make sure we’re able to honour your request.

Types of Bequest

You can include a gift in your will in several ways. What you decide will be based on your circumstances and preferences. The main options include:

  • Pecuniary— gifting a specific sum of money

  • Percentage or Fractional— gifting some proportion of your estate, rather than a specific dollar amount

  • Residual— gifting what remains of your estate after taking care of expenses and making any bequests to loved ones. You can either gift your entire residual estate, or a specific portion of it.

  • Whole Estate— a generous gift of your entire estate

While all bequests are appreciated, percentage or residuary legacies are generally more effective than gifting a specific sum. This is because they’re more able to adapt to inflation or changes in your estate.

FAQs

  • You are under no obligation to tell us, but we'd really appreciate it if you let us know. It gives us the opportunity to thank you and keep you informed about our work. Your information will always be treated with complete confidence.

  • Yes, you can choose to support a specific aspect of our work, such as our operations or one of our high impact partner charities. That said, needs can change over time and leaving an unrestricted gift allows your legacy to go wherever it can do the most good.

    If you do choose to restrict your donation, it's worth considering what you'd like to happen if that programme is no longer available at the time of the bequest. Allocating your gift to our Maximum Impact Fund would be one way of avoiding this, or you could specify a backup.

  • While you don't have to consult anyone, we'd encourage you to discuss your will with your family. Bequests can be challenged by family members if they don't feel adequately provided for. Consider the amount you wish to leave so that it is not likely to be contested, or discuss your reasoning with family where possible.