Leave a Legacy

Leaving a gift in your will is a wonderful way to continue your legacy. Your commitment to helping boys without fathers in their lives will be honoured after you’re gone. You’ll be helping future generations of boys become great men.

How your bequest can change lives

After taking care of your loved ones, a bequest to Big Buddy can help to make a real difference.

Children's Commissioner Andrew Becroft said, “...Boys of the 14, 15, 16 age group … they seek out male role models like heat seeking missiles”. A gift in your Will to Big Buddy will help us reach these boys in their younger years, providing them with a stable role model and changing their lives for the better.

And the impact doesn’t stop there - this positive change actually benefits whole families and communities for generations to come. One of our older Little Buddies, Jordan, shared with us his reflections on how his Big Buddy has influenced his life:

“If I didn’t have a Big Buddy...my path would have probably gone wrong, just being an idiot, taking that wrong path of life, not getting a job, not getting an education, just dropping out of school, doing nothing. Possibly ruining relationships within my family…”

Please consider leaving a bequest to Big Buddy and help us to reach our vision for New Zealand, that every boy whose dad is not around, will have a Big Buddy to guide him into adulthood with true self-worth.

“He’s taken this dark side of me, pushed it away, brought out this more bright side and it’s affected absolutely everything” Little Buddy, Jordan Whibley.

The details - how bequests work

There are various options to leave a gift in your will that ensures your loved ones are looked after before gifting funds to Big Buddy. Here are some common examples of how you could choose to support Big Buddy through your estate:

Residual Gift: This means leaving the remainder (or percentage thereof) of your estate to Big Buddy, after your loved ones have been considered, and any expenses deducted.
Pecuniary bequest/Fixed sum: This gift is in the form of a specified cash amount e.g. $10,000.
Percentage Bequest: This is used if you wish to divide your estate among a number of people or organisations. Leaving your gift as a percentage rather than a fixed amount will ensure that inﬂation doesn’t erode the value of your gift over time.

LB Bailey and BB Chris at Ferrari Festival

Write your will for free

Thanks to our friends at Gathered Here you can write your will for free using their easy online templates https://www.gatheredhere.com/nz/c/big-buddy

Frequently asked questions

Why should I have a will?

What is a bequest?

Who should write my will?

We recommend that you consult your lawyer or other legal advisor to ensure that your will is worded correctly and witnessed and signed properly. If you do not have a lawyer, contact the New Zealand Law Society,www.lawsociety.org.nz, or your local Citizens Advice Bureau, www.cab.org.nz

You can also write a free will using the online templates hosted by Gathered Here - Write your will and leave a gift to The Big Buddy Foundation (gatheredhere.com)

I already have a will – can I add a bequest?

Do I have enough money to make a bequest?

What about my family's needs?

What if my circumstances change?

What types of bequest can I make?

There are a number of options for leaving a gift in your will to Big Buddy:

A specific sum or percentage of your estate:

A specific sum is an option but it is a good idea to think about the effects of inflation over time. What may seem like a large amount now may not seem so in years to come. Nominating a percentage of your estate instead of a cash sum means that you do not have to keep adjusting your gift to allow for inflation.

The residue of your estate:

You may bequeath what is left from your estate after all other gifts and costs have been deducted.

A specific gift of property or other assets:

A bequest does not have to be for cash, it may be for real estate, shares, jewellery or other property you own at the time of your death.

Can I direct how my bequest is to be used?

As your bequest is unlikely to be realised for some years to come, we recommend that it is unrestricted, so that our successors can have the flexibility to direct it to the area of greatest need at the time. However, if you are interested in directing your gift to a specific area of our work please contact us. Any bequest details that you choose to share with us will remain confidential.

Wording Examples

While we advise that you speak to your solicitor about making any changes to your will, here is an example of the wording that is commonly used with regard to bequests:

“I give to The Big Buddy Foundation ___% of my estate OR the rest and residue of my estate OR the sum of $_____ OR <details of specific item> for its general purposes free of probate and estate duties payable upon or in consequence of my death. I declare that the receipt of its Executive Director, Treasurer or other authorised officer shall be sufficient discharge to my executors.”

Official Charities Commission registration number CC50456

For more information about how to leave a gift to Big Buddy in your will, please contact our Partnership Manager Christie Stuart by email or phone 021 277 0699

If you make the generous decision to include Big Buddy in your will, please let Christie know so we can properly thank you for your kindness and foresight.

Leaving a bequest is an incredible gesture.

However, if you're undecided about leaving something in your will, setting up a small regular gift now will make a big difference to fatherless boys for a long time.

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Leave a bequest