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Why are Gifts in Wills so Important?

At Initiatives of Change, we are a community of people united by one belief: that everyone has the chance to change the world. One of the most powerful ways that you can join us in this work is by leaving a gift in your Will.

It provides us with the resources we need to help build a just, peaceful and sustainable world to which everyone, responding to the call of conscience, can make their unique contribution. You can be sure that your generous contribution will help build a better world and transform many lives.

Thank you so much for considering this special way of giving.

 

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How Do I Leave A Gift in My Will?

When making or updating your Will, you just need to let your solicitor know your intentions. There is no obligation to let us know and you can change your mind at any time.

At IofC International, we respect that the decision to leave a gift in your Will is special and personal. That’s why we share with you below more information about Gifts in Wills, including a clear step by step guide to help you consider this decision in your own time.

 

GIFTS IN WILLS GUIDE & FAQ

There are two main ways to leave a gift to IofC International in your Will:

  • Residuary gifts: A residuary gift is a share of someone’s estate. This type of gift guarantees a fair distribution among all the people you want to benefit.
  • Pecuniary gifts: A pecuniary gift is a fixed sum of money. If you would like to protect the value of your gift from diminishing over the years, you could think about index linking the sum that you give to IofC International.

We always encourage you to give a gift without restricting its usage, because we don’t know where our focus will be most needed when we receive your gift. Unrestricted gifts allow us to allocate resources in support of teams or initiatives where they are most needed. 

When making or updating your Will, we recommend you get professional advice from a solicitor. These tips will help with your preparation before seeing a Will-making professional.

  1. Think about your assets - Spend time listing the assets you own, their worth and whether you share ownership. You should also think about any debts, and estimate their value, as these will reduce your estate. Consider how and where information about your estate is kept so you can plan how to give secure access to this.
  2. Appoint roles in your Will - Your Executors are the people named in your Will who will look after your estate after your death. They can be family members and/or friends, professionals or even organizations (like a bank). Your Executors should be people you trust to look after everything and carry out your wishes in your Will. If choosing loved ones to be Executors, it is a good idea to discuss this with them, to make sure they are happy to be appointed.
  3. A gift in your Will to IofC International - After considering loved ones, you might also want to think about how your values can live on through supporting causes you care about. If you want to support the activities of IofC International through Unicef, you will need our address and charity number: 

    INITIATIVES OF CHANGE INTERNATIONAL, International Environment House II, Chemin de Balexert 7-9, 1219 Châtelaine (Geneva), Switzerland
    Charity Number (Switzerland): Federal Identification Number: CH-550-1067467-9; IDE/UID number: CHE-115.669.543

  4. Make sure your Will is valid - When you come to sign your Will, you will need to make sure there are two independent witnesses who can also sign the document and watch you sign. Make sure the witnesses are not beneficiaries of your estate as this will mean their gift becomes invalid.

Leaving a gift in your Will is a special and personal decision. That’s why we make these promises to you:

  • We believe that your family and friends come first, and promise to treat you and your family with courtesy, compassion and respect
  • We will always be happy to answer any questions, explain IofC International's work in more detail, and tell you where you can find further information about how your gift will make a difference to our work
  • Create potential to be pivotal to social change
  • We will use your gift wisely and cost-effectively so that it has the greatest impact
  • You can change your mind about leaving a gift in your Will at any time, and we will respect your decision
  • Any personal information that you choose to give us will be handled securely and confidentially. We will always respect your privacy – you choose the frequency and ways we can contact you
  • Once you leave a gift in your Will, you will join a powerful community of people working tirelessly for every child. We will update you on our work through monthly emails and events with other supporters
  • We will ensure our work continues to empower trust-building work for generations to come

If you pass away without making a Will, you will be classed as dying ‘intestate’ and this could result in your estate not going where you would have wished. If you have no family members to inherit, the entire estate will pass to your state/government.

We recommend you consult a solicitor when writing your Will. Just visit the Law Society in your country for a list of legal professionals in your area.

You are free to change your mind about leaving a gift in your Will to IofC International at any time, and we completely understand that this is a personal decision. If you have told us you are intending to leave us a gift, it would be helpful to let us know if that changes.

If you have questions about leaving a gift in your Will, please get in touch with us by email: iofci.donations@iofc.org