Leave a gift in your Will
A gift in your Will to Plan International Australia is a powerful way to ensure your dream of a fairer world, one where girls take their place as equals, can live on past your own lifetime.
You’ll provide the knowledge, protection and choice.
She’ll unleash her potential and transform the world around her.
Leave her the power to choose. Because she deserves a life of her choosing.
Photo: Tume, 10, is happy to be back in school again. © Plan International
Your legacy in action
All children deserve to be safe, healthy and happy, to pursue their dreams and choose their own path in life.
But being born a girl – especially in a place of poverty – can mean her safety, wellbeing and future are under threat.
She’s the last to benefit from resources like food and clean water.
She’s often denied an education, and limited in how she earns an income.
Girls are the most impacted by inequality, crisis and poverty, so helping her thrive means as many children as possible can live a life of their choosing.
How? Because when a girl has the knowledge and power to choose her own path to a better life, she brings whole communities with her.
So when you plan for your loved ones’ futures, you can plan for hers too, through a gift in your Will to Plan International Australia.
It’s your life-changing legacy of freedom, choice, and possibility that will ripple throughout her family, community and beyond for generations to come.
Meet some of our wonderful supporters who have chosen to leave a legacy gift.
See your legacy in action
She can now have an education
Hajira lost her education and was forced to do house chores and farming work, until she joined Plan International’s education programs.
Now, she wants to become a teacher, to change the lives of more girls like her who thought their future was set for them.
She now owns her own land
When Helena signed up for coffee farming support, a program implemented to equip women with practical coffee-farming skills, she gained more financial literacy and was able to participate more fully in household and community decision-making.
Now, Helena owns her own land and support others to do the same.
She now prevents early marriages
Kakoly joined Child, Not Bride (CNB), a project by Plan International that aims to reduce early and forced child marriage through leadership training and community support.
Not only did she stop her own marriage, she stood with girls going through the same situation and continues to raise awareness around the impacts of child marriage within her community.
She's one step closer to her dream
Through Plan International programs in North West Vietnam, girls are learning about their rights and building the confidence to say no to marriage.
Ngan has been able to stop her own marriage and is now in high school, one step closer to her dream of going to university.
They can now build a better future
Through local partnerships in Laos, Plan International established learning centres, running programs to help families grow their own vegetables and adapt to the changing climates.
Families like Mani and Sing’s who rely on farming, can now prepare nutritious meals for their young family and earn an income again.
Get started with writing your Will
We’ve teamed up with leading online Will writing service Safewill to give our Australian supporters the opportunity to write their own Will. Find out more about Safewill.
Make a free, legally binding Will in under 10 minutes with everywill by Gathered Here. It’s simple, secure, and can be done from home—giving you peace of mind for the future. Get started.
Note: Plan International Australia does not provide legal advice. Any referral to an Online Will provider does not constitute legal advice, or an endorsement that an Online Will is suitable for your needs. Individuals using Online Wills should seek legal advice before making any changes or updates to their Wills.
Photo: Zenaida, 6, uses the radio to do her schoolwork at home in Cusco. © Plan International / Fiorella Ramos
Here's some of our most frequently asked questions
We asked Mark Murnane, a lawyer specialising in Wills and Estate Planning, and a friend of Plan International Australia to answer some of your frequently asked questions.
How do I write or update my Will?
Plan International Australia encourages you to seek independent legal and tax advice when creating or updating your Will. This helps ensure your wishes are clearly recorded and that your estate is distributed as you intend. A professionally prepared Will doesn’t have to be costly, and it provides peace of mind that your intentions will be respected.
In addition to seeking professional advice, we’re pleased to offer two simple options to help you create or update your Will from the comfort of your home:
- Safewill – We’ve partnered with Australia’s leading online Will-writing service to give our supporters an affordable and straightforward way to write a legally valid Will.
- everywill by Gathered Here – Create a free, legally binding Will in under ten minutes. It’s simple, secure and a stress-free way to plan for the future.
How do I decide on my bequest?
Decide on what you want to leave and to who.
After meeting the needs of your loved ones, your impact through Plan International can continue long into the future through your legacy. It’s a good idea to discuss the important aspects of your Will with your family and friends so they understand your wishes.
There are several types of gifts you can choose to include in your Will:
- Percentage gift – a proportion of what remains of your estate after your loved ones have been looked after (a residual gift).
- Fixed sum – a specific dollar amount, noting that it will not keep pace with inflation (a pecuniary gift).
- Specific gift – a particular item such as shares, property or another asset
- Whole estate – leaving the entire value of your estate to Plan International Australia or another beneficiary
While any gift you choose to leave us in your Will will be gratefully received, we recommend leaving as flexible a gift as possible, as this allows your legacy to achieve the greatest impact, even if it isn’t realised for many years.
When you provide a percentage of your estate’s value, for example, it enables Plan International Australia to support communities with the most urgent needs and to respond effectively as circumstances change.
Please get in touch with us if you’d like to discuss the options further.
How do I word my Will?
Your solicitor may find it useful to be able to refer to our suggested wording when updating your Will.
Simply ask your solicitor to insert the appropriate clause selected from the wording below:
“I give free of all duties or taxes… [Please insert here the appropriate statement selected from the five options below]:
- the whole of my estate
- [insert number] percent of my estate
- the residue of my estate
- [insert number] percent of the residue of my estate
- the sum of $ [insert value of your gift]
…to Plan International Australia (ABN 49 004 875 807) for its general purposes. The official receipt of the organisation shall be a full and sufficient discharge to my executor.”
What if I have included Plan in my Will?
If you do or have already included Plan International Australia in your Will, we would love to know so we can thank you for your generous support and the impact this will have for the children and families we work with.
We’ll make sure to keep you updated on our work in the ways that you prefer.
Can I leave my superannuation or life insurance policy to Plan International Australia?
You can, although superannuation and life insurance typically don’t form part of your estate. A legal professional can help you put the right arrangements in place.
What if I already have a Will?
If you already have a Will, you can include a gift to Plan International Australia by adding a codicil—a separate document that specifies the change. We recommend talking to your solicitor about adding a codicil, rather than altering your existing Will directly, as changes to the original document may invalidate it. Your codicil must be signed and witnessed by two people. For more complex changes, your solicitor may advise creating a new Will.
Receive your complimentary Gifts in Wills Guide
Our promise to you
- Your legacy is your choice. We understand it’s a deeply personal decision, and you can change your mind at any time.
- Your loved ones come first. We encourage you to look after them before finalising your Will, and to share your intentions with them when you feel ready.
- Your gift will be used wisely. We will put it to work thoughtfully and strategically to create the greatest and most enduring impact for children.
- You’re welcome to share your intentions – only if you wish. Letting us know helps us plan for the future and gives us the chance to thank you personally, but you are under no obligation to do so.
- We’ll keep you connected. If you choose to tell us about your gift, we’ll keep you updated on our work in the ways that suit you best.
- We’ll celebrate your generosity in your lifetime. We’ll make sure you feel valued and appreciated for the hope and opportunity your future gift will bring – because your commitment matters today, as well as tomorrow.
The history of Plan International
Catch up on our last webinar
In this webinar, hosted by our Gifts in Wills Lead, Swadha Das Mohapatra, together with solicitor Mark Murnane from Murnane Legal, Mark shares helpful guidance about Wills in an educational, no-pressure session.
Whether it’s your first time making a Will or if you’re simply curious, refreshing an existing one, or helping someone close to you plan ahead, this session will provide clear guidance and reassurance.
Topics covered include:
- What is a Will and why is it important
- Without a Will
- Debunking Myths
- Simple steps for writing your Will
- Tips for maintaining your Will
Contact our bequests team
If you have any questions about the process of writing your Will, are ready to make a bequest, or would like to speak to a member of our bequest team, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with Swadha Das Mohapatra, our Gifts in Wills & Mid Value Lead on 0427 407 293 or email [email protected].
Plan International Australia is a member of Include a Charity.
