This September, Safewill is offering free, professionally written Wills for Australians. Writing a Will is one of the most practical things you can do for the people you love, and it’s also a chance to support a cause you believe in.
This guide explains what a gift in Will is, why many Australians choose to leave one to Oxfam, and how simple it is to get started. Leaving a gift in your Will to Oxfam means your commitment to equality can continue after you’re gone.
What is a gift in Will?
A gift in your Will (also known as a bequest) is simply a gift you choose to leave to a person or cause after you’re gone. It’s a way to support what matters to you, even if you weren’t able to during your lifetime. There are a few different ways to leave a charitable bequest.
Residuary gift (recommended)
A residuary gift is a percentage, or the whole, of what’s left of your estate once you’ve looked after your loved ones. This kind of gift naturally keeps pace with inflation, since it’s based on a share of your estate rather than a fixed amount.
Pecuniary gift
A pecuniary gift is a specific sum of money left to a cause you care about. As it may be many years before your gift is realised, the gift can diminish in real value over time due to inflation.
Specific gift
A specific gift is a particular item or asset such as property, shares, jewellery, or other belongings you’d like to leave behind.
Whole or part of your estate
You can leave your entire estate or any percentage of it to your charity of choice.
Why leave a gift to Oxfam
Bangladesh: Mosammat Halima Begum lives on a char, or sandbank, in the Jamuna River. Floods and erosion have displaced her more than 20 times – mostly in the last ten years. Oxfam partner SKS has provided her with essentials like a tube well and has worked with her community on reducing disaster risks. Photo: ©Elizabeth Stevens/Oxfam
Oxfam works alongside communities and local partners around the world to tackle the root causes of poverty.
A gift in your Will could help fund clean water and sanitation projects in communities facing chronic shortages, support women’s economic independence, build climate resilience for communities on the frontline of a crisis they didn’t cause, or provide emergency relief during disasters and conflict.
This work is always a partnership. Oxfam works with the people and local organisations already leading change in their own countries, backing their expertise with resources and a global platform.
Poverty isn’t inevitable. It’s driven by inequality in who holds power, who controls resources, and whose voice gets heard, and that’s exactly what a gift in your Will helps us keep on challenging.
Oxfam Australia is accredited by the Australian Council for International Development (ACFID) and by the Australian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), both of which set high standards for transparency, effectiveness and accountability in how charities operate.
A gift in your Will means this work and the values behind it can continue for generations. It’s a way of saying that a more just and equal world matters to you, even beyond your own lifetime.
How to include Oxfam in your Will
Including a gift to Oxfam is simple; it doesn’t have to be complicated or costly.
Look after your loved ones first
A gift to Oxfam comes after you’ve provided for the people closest to you.
Consult a professional
A solicitor or your state or territory’s Public Trustee can help make sure your Will is valid and clearly reflects your wishes.
Use the right wording
To make sure your gift can be carried out exactly as you intend, Oxfam provides suggested wording you or your solicitor can use directly in your Will.
Already have a Will?
You don’t need to start over. A codicil (a short legal amendment) can add a gift to Oxfam without redrafting the whole document.
Write for free this September
Throughout September 2026, you can write or update your Will at no cost through Safewill, Oxfam’s Will-writing partner. Use the opportunity to put your wishes in writing for free, whether or not you choose to include a gift to Oxfam.
Leave a legacy that lasts
A gift in your Will is one of the most meaningful ways to make sure the values you’ve lived by continue after you’re gone. This September, writing that Will costs you nothing, but the legacy it protects can mean everything to the communities we work alongside.
Whether you’re ready to include Oxfam in your Will or simply want to talk it through, our bequests team is here to help with lots more useful information and ways to ask us your specific questions.
Gifts in Wills FAQ
Is a gift in my Will tax-deductible?
Unlike donations made during your lifetime, the ATO says a gift left in your Will isn’t income-tax deductible for your estate. However, a capital gain or loss from a testamentary gift of property can be disregarded if the gift is made to a deductible gift recipient like Oxfam, and would have been tax-deductible had it not been left through a Will.
Do I need to update my Will if I already have one?
Not necessarily. If your current Will already reflects your wishes, you don’t need to start again. A codicil (a short legal amendment) can add a bequest to an existing Will.
How much do I need to leave?
Any amount makes a genuine difference, even a very small percentage of your estate. There’s no minimum, and every gift, whatever its size, funds real work.
Do I need to look after my family first?
Absolutely. Providing for the people you love always comes first. Many supporters choose a residuary gift for exactly this reason (it only applies to what’s left after your loved ones are provided for).
Can I leave property or shares instead of money?
Yes. Oxfam can accept non-monetary gifts such as property or shares, though these are generally converted to cash to fund our work. It’s worth letting us know in advance so we can make sure any specific conditions can be properly carried out.
Can I specify what my gift is used for?
Yes, though gifts left for Oxfam’s general use let us direct funding wherever it’s needed most at the time. If you have a specific purpose in mind, it’s best to contact our bequests team before finalising your Will, to make sure your wishes can be carried out.
Do I need to tell Oxfam if I’ve included a gift in my Will?
You don’t have to, but we’d love to know. It lets us thank you properly and keep you updated on the work your generosity will one day support. Your information is always kept private.
Is Oxfam Australia a registered charity I can trust with this decision?
Yes. Oxfam Australia is a registered Deductible Gift Recipient with the Australian Taxation Office, and independently accredited by ACFID and DFAT. You can verify our DGR status yourself using the ACNC’s Search for a charity tool.