Leaving a bequest (a gift or donation of any size in your will) is an extraordinary act of generosity and a way to make a significant difference. 
 
By making a bequest in your Will, you will help us to continue to provide services, programs and projects to our patients and community.
 
We recommend you discuss your bequest with your family and solicitor prior to finalising your Will.

Bequest Wording

It is important that your bequest is worded correctly and the following is recommended as a guide (note – you should alter the suggested wording as suited to your personal needs, such as the specific hospital / service or purpose. You may wish to give this wording to the solicitor who is preparing your Will. 
 
Whilst there are many ways to leave a gift in your Will, the simplest and most common are: 

• A percentage: This allows you to ensure your loved ones are looked after as well as giving a gift to the Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District. This is often regarded as the most flexible way to leave a bequest; as you don't have to keep altering your Will to adjust the value of your gift to account for inflation or changes to your circumstances. Wording may include; "I give and bequeath to Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District for its general purposes, …% of my estate for which the receipt of the Treasurer or other authorised officer shall be an absolute discharge."
• A specific sum: Leaving a fixed amount of money from your estate. It's important to know this does not allow for changes in your circumstances or inflation and may need to be changed over time. Wording may include; "I give and bequeath to Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District for its general purposes, the sum of $.... for which the receipt of the Treasurer or other authorised Officer shall be an absolute discharge."
• The Residue: The Residue is a gift of ultimately whatever remains in your estate after your loved ones have been taken care of. Wording may include; "I give and bequeath to Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District for its general purposes, the residue of my Estate for which the receipt of the Treasurer or other authorised Officer shall be an absolute discharge."
• Whole estate: In this instance, a person might bequest their entire estate to Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District.

You may also specify what unit within the hospital you would like your bequest to assist, for example Cancer, Renal, Respiratory, Cardiology etc. Just substitute the name of the unit for “general purposes”. Please contact (02) 4221 6859 to confirm the correct name of the unit you are choosing to assist.

Notes

A Will is a legal document that clearly sets out your wishes for the distribution of your assets after your death. Having a clear, legally valid and up-to-date Will is the best way to ensure that your assets are protected and distributed according to your wishes.
 
Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District has been endorsed by the Australian Taxation Office as a deductible gift recipient and an income tax exempt charitable entity for tax purposes.