Donations and Bequests

Members and/or supporters of the Canberra Bridge Club (CBC) who feel they may like to bequeath or donate something to the club are encouraged to firstly read up on the subject. For example, Philanthropy Australia has an excellent "Guide to Giving" which will enlighten future donors on all aspects of donating or bequeathing money/assets to an organisation such as CBC.

Donations

How to make a donation

A donation can be made to the CBC at any time without reference to your will. You may wish to make a monetary donation, either as a one off amount or an ongoing, yearly gift, or as a prize for a particular event. The donation can be made in-confidence if desired.

If you wish to donate a trophy in the name of a player or for a specific event please contact the Tournament Secretary. Guidelines for honouring past/present members may need to be considered.

To make a donation simply complete Form A and send it to the Club in an envelope addressed to the President. The envelope can be marked "in-confidence" if desired.

If you do not have a will at the moment, you can simply include a bequest when you write a new will. Whatever your circumstances, we advise you see a solicitor to ensure your wishes will be followed.

Bequests

What is a bequest?

A bequest is a property or a sum of money committed to an organisation and donated upon the donor's death. A bequest can take a variety of forms. Deciding which way you feel is the fairest method of dividing your estate will determine its format.

Some options include

• A percentage bequest: (e.g. I bequeath 20% of my net estate to the Canberra Bridge Club.) This will reflect any change in value through inflation or interest as the years progress, but does not affect the priority or importance of your bequest.
• A residual bequest: (e.g. I bequeath the residue of my estate to the Canberra Bridge Club.) This involves leaving the remainder of an estate after friends and family have been provided for through specific gifts.
• A specific bequest: (e.g. I bequeath my … to the Canberra Bridge Club.) This could include a stated dollar amount, real estate, shares, proceeds of life insurance policies, annuity or pension.
• An alternative bequest: This allows a person or organisation to be nominated as an alternative beneficiary if another named recipient is unable to accept a bequest. This might be particularly relevant if you have not updated your will for some time and if one of the named beneficiaries has passed away.

How to make a bequest

 If you are considering leaving a bequest to the CBC, you should seek the advice of a solicitor who handles wills. You should also think about consulting a financial or tax advisor. Although there are some CBC players who may have the necessary legal background to handle bequests, we feel it would be best to consult a person who is independent of the Club.

If you already have a will but would like to leave a gift to CBC, you can do so by making a simple addition to your existing will. This is called a codicil. We suggest you see a solicitor if this is your intention.

If you would like further information on leaving a gift in your will to the Canberra Bridge Club, please contact our Bequests Officer, Allen Scerri, on (02) 6288 5118. With your permission bequests/donations can be listed on our website in perpetuity.

To make a bequest please complete Form B and send it to the Club in an envelope addressed to the President. The envelope can be marked "in-confidence" if desired.