One single act. A lifetime of difference.
Protect hearts and lives with a gift in your Will
By choosing to include a gift in your Will to the Heart Foundation, you’ll be protecting hearts and lives, for generations.
With this one single act, your legacy will go on to fund the heart research, advocacy and awareness programs we need to make heart health achievable for every person in Australia.
Request your free information pack to learn more about the work you can support, and how you can create your lifesaving legacy today.
With one single act, Pam is protecting Australian hearts for generations
On the 18 January 1985, Pam tragically lost her dad to heart disease.
“He was just gone,” Pam remembers. “He’d only just turned 66 a month earlier. Paramedics said that it was so quick that at least he wouldn’t have suffered.”
Today, in memory of her dad, Pam has decided to leave a gift in her Will to support the research discoveries that could have saved his life:
“After seeing what happened to Dad, and all those tests that couldn’t be done back then, I was more than happy to leave a gift in my Will to the Heart Foundation to help support heart research.”
“Research keeps getting better and better. In the future, with my support, I believe there will be even more we can do.”
Today, Pam is proud to know that her legacy will go on to protect future generations, and help keep more families together.
Researchers are the unsung heroes trying to make a better world for everyone. Those are the people I want to support with a gift in my Will.
Pam
Our vision: Health for Every Heart, made possible by you
This year, we launched our Health for Every Heart strategy, outlining the steps we must take together to make heart health achievable for everyone in Australia:
Write your Will for free today with Gathered Here
Did you know that over 50% of Australians don’t have a legally binding Will?
Writing a Will is important for everyone, no matter how old you are. That’s why we’ve partnered with Gathered Here to help generous supporters like you write your Will for free. So easy it can be done from the comfort of home in as little as ten minutes, you’ll enjoy free and unlimited updates for life.
As part of the process, you’ll have the option to include a gift in your Will to the Heart Foundation. This lasting gift will go a long way to helping us continue to fund research, raise awareness and advocate for fair and equitable access to heart healthcare throughout Australia.
Need help leaving a gift in your Will?
How to leave a gift in your Will
Leaving a gift in your Will to the Heart Foundation is a simple process. Just follow these steps:
Online Wills
If you’re ready to draft your Will, consider these convenient online Will-writing platforms that have partnered with the Heart Foundation.
Find legal support to write your Will
Get expert legal support to write your Will and manage estate planning. Explore our directory of trusted law firms specializing in Wills & Estates across Australia.
Frequently asked questions
Explore these considerations for leaving a gift in your Will.
Why is having a Will so important?
If you die without a Will (‘dying intestate’), state laws will determine how your assets are distributed, which could result in your loved ones and the causes you care about being left out entirely. An up-to-date Will is the only way to make sure that, after you pass away, your wishes are carried out.
In Australia, you can make a legally binding Will any time after you turn 18.
What is the best way to leave a gift to the Heart Foundation?
Residual gifts allow you to leave a percentage of what’s left of your estate after you’ve taken care of your family and friends – so you can support both the people and causes you care about.
Residual gifts are a simple and practical way of leaving a gift in your Will in comparison to other types of gifts, such as specific or pecuniary gifts. You may not know the value of your final estate, but a percentage gives you peace of mind and will automatically adjust to changes in your estate’s value over time. A residual gift will also keep pace with inflation so that your gift to the charity or charities you care about is maximised.
I already have a Will. Do I need to make a new Will?
Your Will records your wishes at a particular point in time. It is important to regularly review your Will as your circumstances change to ensure that it accurately reflect your current wishes. If your current Will still accurately reflects your wishes, or if there has been a significant change in your circumstances, it may be necessary to make a new Will. You should speak to your solicitor about whether a new Will or a Codicil - a short legal amendment to your Will - is appropriate for the updates you wish to make.
Can I specify where my gift goes?
Yes, you can specify how you want your gift to be used. However, it’s worth remembering that most gifts in Wills aren’t realised for many years. If you include a gift for our general purposes, it means we can fund the most significant project at the time, to make the most impact in our fight to help save Australians from heart disease.
If you have a specific purpose in mind, we recommend discussing this with us before finalising your Will, to ensure that your wishes can be carried out.
What if I need to look after my loved ones?
We know that taking care of your family and loved ones will always come first. We are very grateful for any gift you may choose to leave the Heart Foundation after you have looked after them.
It’s important that you make your family and loved ones aware of your wishes and any gift you’ve to the Heart Foundation in your Will, so they understand why supporting the fight against heart disease is important to you. Communication with your family will ensure your final wishes are carried out and your gift is received and used as you intended.
Can I leave my house, other property or shares?
Whilst monetary gifts are preferred, the Heart Foundation is able to accept non-monetary gifts, such as property or shares. However, we would need to convert any property or shares into cash to be able to fund our work.
It’s important to discuss any non-monetary gifts with us before finalising your Will, to ensure that we are able to accept them and that your wishes can be carried out.
Do I need to tell you about leaving a gift to the Heart Foundation in my Will?
You don't have to, but we would love to know so we can keep in touch with you, express our appreciation for your generous gift, and keep you updated on our progress towards an Australia free of heart disease. Your information will be kept confidential, and we will always respect your privacy. Building a relationship with our supporters is important to us, and we value your contribution to our cause.
You can contact our Gifts in Wills team to discuss your gift by:
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 13 11 12 and ask for our Gifts in Wills team