A bequest is money or property which you legally leave to someone when you die. For instance, you can leave a percentage of your estate, a specific sum of money or item of property.

Charitable bequests are a way of keeping your ideals, your compassion and your vision alive for years to come and have been included in wills for centuries. They offer you the opportunity to make a worthwhile gift, to perpetuate your name or that of a loved one. Particularly if your children are grown up and self-sufficient, you may find tremendous satisfaction in using your will to help touch the lives of people in need.

When you leave a legacy such as this to a hospice, your gift enables someone to live out their final days and weeks with dignity – pain-free, emotionally supported and spiritually comforted. You may choose to provide new facilities or equipment, provide bursaries to train more nursing sisters in palliative care or help create employment for staff nurses or social workers. You may even choose to leave your possessions – items of value such as artworks, antiques, furniture, other household and/or office items, even vehicles, which a hospice can either make use of at their facilities or place in their charity shops for resale, to help generate much-needed income.

We suggest that you contact a professional (attorney, your bank, or current holder of your will) to advise you on the correct and legal wording of your bequest to Stepping Stone Hospice & Care Services should this be your wish. A bequest is a small change to your existing will and a codicil may be added. You need not have an entirely new will drawn up unless you would like to bring other changes to it, or if you don’t have a will in place yet.

Most importantly, you need to discuss your wishes with your family before you make these simple changes to your will or have a codicil drafted to incorporate them. Once you have provided for your loved ones, your gift to Stepping Stone Hospice & Care Services will make a significant difference to the lives of future patients in our care.

To make a codicil/bequest to Stepping Stone Hospice & Care Services in your Will, simply complete the downloaded form and sign it in front of two witnesses, neither of whom stand to benefit from your Will or from this Codicil. You may wish to forward it to your attorney, accountant or financial advisor for checking.

The greatest everlasting joy is in giving – Anon

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