In addition to leaving their estates to loved ones, many people also want to leave a legacy by benefitting a favourite charity or non-profit organisation, such as the Intaka Island Environmental Trust. A charitable bequest – which is simply a distribution from your deceased estate to a charitable organisation by a bequest in your will – is an easy and effective way to do this.
A charitable bequest can be made by leaving an amount to a charitable organisation of your choice, or to a charitable trust created in terms of your will. However, it will only qualify as a tax deduction for estate duty purposes if the entities in question are public benefit organisations which are exempt from tax in terms of the Income Tax Act.
You can bequeath an amount in cash, either a fixed amount or calculated as a percentage of your residual estate, or you can bequeath a specific asset, such as a piece of land or valuable collector’s items, or even a combination of these. You are also entitled to attach certain conditions to such a bequest. However, check the phrasing of these conditions carefully to ensure your chosen charity is not prevented from making optimal use of the legacy.
There are several ways to provide for charitable bequests in your will, and this will largely depend on your personal choice and preference. The charitable bequest should be properly provided for in your will to ensure the intended use of your legacy with minimal cost implications. In addition, make sure you use the correct wording in naming the charity to ensure that your chosen charity ultimately benefits from your bequest.
What happens with your bequest/ donation to Intaka?
As a registered non-profit organisation with public benefit organisation status (Section 18A Certificate Holder), we operate under strict financial control and with transparent management of available funds. All contributions are used to:
run a range of age and curriculum relevant environmental education programs which are tailor-made to accommodate individual school needs.
maintain our Environmental Education Centre facilities which include various sustainability exhibits as well as an energy classroom,
conservation projects on our wetland which include but are not limited to alien clearing, water quality testing, silt monitoring, fauna and flora surveying, and the general maintenance of the bird hides, wetland pathways and viewing decks.
The funds will also ensure that we can continue to employ graduates, building their capacity for sustainable conservation and environmental education, to protect our wetland and create awareness of wetland conservation.
Should you wish to make a bequest towards The Intaka Island Environmental Trust, kindly contact us via email on info@intaka.co.za or give them a call on 021 552 6889