Gifts in Wills

Why Leave a Gift in Your Will for the Mission of MAF?

Gifts in Wills are an excellent way to help our organisation continue flying our vital support missions well into the future. Every day MAF flights take off somewhere in the world delivering basic needs, giving access to much needed medical intervention, and, most importantly, helping to bring the good news of the Gospel.

You can be assured that leaving a gift in your Will for MAF’s future ministry is a sound decision because:

• MAF has consistently served remote and isolated communities for over 75 years making MAF a well-established faith organisation with an excellent reputation.
• It is estimated that MAF delivers transformational support to over 1 million of the world’s poorest and most isolated people each year because of the faithful support from our many donors. Your kind legacy gift will enable us to reach many more people well into the future.
• MAF facilitates the work of over 1400 organisations worldwide. Groups like World Vision, Compassion, Save the Children, Oxfam, and many others depend on MAF’s service to achieve their mission. Leaving a legacy gift for MAF will help us to continue serving other for purpose organisations well in the years ahead.
• Although we serve everyone regardless of race, creed, or religion, the bottom line is we are motivated and driven by Jesus Christ and His love for humanity.

“Our prayer is you will feel confident your decision to leave a gift in your Will for MAF’s mission is one that will help you achieve your goal to continue making a positive difference in the future through your estate.”  – Chris Barnes, CEO

If you would like to discuss your legacy goals with one of our team, please reach out to Dave Martin on M. 0435 952 195 or E. [email protected]. All conversations are treated as highly confidential.

How to leave a gift in your Will for MAF

“I,…………………………give to MAF Australia (ABN 26 134 583 887) for its general purposes, free of all duties, the following: (whichever is applicable)

The sum of $…………….    

…………..% of my estate

The residue, or………………% of the residue of my estate

Life insurance policy number…………………………………    

Property situated at……………………………………………    

Other (details)………………………………………………….    
   
……………………………………………………………………
   
and I direct that the receipt of the Chief Executive Officer, or other proper officer of MAF Australia shall be sufficient discharge to my executor for the bequest.”

The precise wording that you use in your Will should be finalised with the help of a solicitor to ensure that your exact wishes are conveyed.

(That wording can be downloaded here)

Write Your Will Online Free

MAF has partnered with Gathered Here (GH), who offer simple Wills through their online platform free of charge. GH allows Wills completed through their platform unlimited changes/updates free. If you do not already have a Will in place this could be a good option for you to try writing your first Will without cost to you.

GH’s free Will option is for uncomplicated Wills. If you have a complex estate made up of varied investments, such as overseas assets, this option may not be suitable for you.

PLEASE NOTE: Accessing your Free Will through our partnership with GH does not oblige you to include a bequest for MAF. All we ask is that you consider a gift for our mission should your circumstances allow.

MAF does not receive a copy of any Will you write through GH. Your Will is private to you and MAF will only receive information about your Will if you choose to share it with us.

MAF recommends you seek independent professional advice when writing your Will. We encourage everyone to put family needs before leaving a gift to charity.

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Testimonies

Tom and Gail Teal-Sinclair’s Story

The reason that we are leaving a gift to MAF in our Will is that both my wife and I have seen first-hand how effective this ministry is in transforming people’s lives both physically and spiritually in Jesus’ name.

It’s really the two hands of the Gospel – the compassionate heart of Jesus towards people in their suffering and the bringing of the Good News, as local pastors and evangelists are given access to isolated areas.

To make it easier, and so that we don’t need to adjust for inflation, we’ve made this gift as a percentage rather than a fixed amount.

Robyn and Michael Hanstock’s Story

In 1982, while living in PNG, Judith, my 16-year-old daughter became critically ill with malaria. She died after an Australian Government medevac was unfortunately cancelled. I know firsthand the despair that isolation can bring and my heart goes out to others needing help in this way.

Michael and I both want to help others benefit from MAF”s sharing of God’s compassion to remote and isolated people by including MAF in our Wills. They are a lifeline of God’s compassion – God’s love in action!

Robert and Margaret Baldock’s Story

Having known about MAF for nearly 70 years and been involved in the work and have prayed for the work of MAF all that time, I am very happy to continue to support the work of MAF.

While married to Harry (Hartwig) I had the privilege to help him in establishing the work in New Guinea and I praise God that He has blessed the work of MAF. Over the years many have come to know Christ through the witness of MAF.

My husband Robert joins me in our desire to see the work of MAF continue and pray that many will decide to partner with us by leaving a gift to MAF in your Will.

Frequently Asked Questions

Gifts in Wills, Legacy Gifts, and Bequests – what are they?

A gift in a Will, also known as a bequest or a legacy gift, is a specified gift left through a Will for a named beneficiary. The terms are interchangeable and simply refer to ‘the action of bequeathing something’ (Oxford Dictionary).

Should I obtain professional assistance when making my Will?

As most would be aware, a Will is a legal document, which must fulfil certain criteria to be deemed ‘valid’ for eventual probate purposes. While ‘Will Kit’ options are available, it seems wise to seek professional advice from a solicitor, Public Trustee, or other appropriate professional when updating your Will.

Should I discuss my Will intentions with some of my family?

It can be helpful to ensure family members are aware of your desire to include a bequest for a charity, which may prevent costly Will challenges in the future.

What gift options are available when making out a Will?

There are four common types of gifts that may be left through a Will:

• Residual: This is what is left over from your estate after first leaving gifts to your loved ones.
• A Percentage or Fractional: Dividing your estate by percentage or fractions gives longevity to your Will because such gifts aren’t negatively influenced by inflation or changes in the value of your estate.
• Pecuniary or Specific: This is a specified gift which can be money, property or stocks and shares.
• Whole Estate: This comprises your entire estate and is usually left by those without family or other preferred beneficiaries.

What role does a charity have in the Will making process?

Very little! MAF’s role is to indicate types of gifts that could be left for our mission, along with suggested Will wording to ensure any gift included for our mission is successful.

Beyond this, MAF suggests prayerful consideration when thinking about leaving a bequest for our mission. We believe family should come before charity gifts, and only encourage you to consider including MAF in your Will after your family has been looked after.

For ethical reasons, MAF is unable to recommend any specific professional Will services or businesses. MAF’s general bequest information is not offered as legal advice. We encourage everyone to seek independent professional advice when updating their Will.

Helpful resources

We have produced some resources that may help you further weigh up the possibility of including a gift in your Will for our mission:

• A short DVD, “Lifeline Beyond Your Lifetime”shares why gifts in Wills are such a wonderful way of supporting MAF’s faithful aviation ministry. To watch the clip now please click here.

• “Your guide to including MAF Australia in your Will” is an information booklet that outlines all you need to know to make a gift in your Will for MAF’s mission. Download it as a pdf here.

Codicil Template:

• Should you wish to include a gift in your Will for MAF and are not ready to update your whole Will, we have provided an easy to use codicil for your convenience. Codicils may be placed with a current Will (but must not be stapled to it as this invalidates the Will) as an addition, which may later be included in the body of the Will when it is next updated.

To download MAF’s codicil template please click here.

All these resources are available for mailing out to you by contacting MAF’s Gifts in Wills team member, Dave Martin – E. [email protected] or by phone: 0435 952 195.

Information for Lawyers and executors

Download Information for Executors here.

Suggested Wording for your Will