Sample Bequest Language

The following language may help you and your attorney when drawing up a bequest that meets your needs.

General bequest

If you intend to leave an outright gift of cash, securities or other property by designating a specific dollar amount, a particular asset or a fixed percentage of your estate to Interval House to be used for general purposes:

“After taking care of all expenses, debts and other provisions, I give, devise and bequeath ___ percent of the rest and residue [or $___ if a specific amount] to Hartford Interval House, Inc., a Connecticut-based charitable organization [Tax ID# 06-0960005], P. O. Box 340207, Hartford, CT 06134.”

Specific bequest

If you intend to make an outright bequest for a specific purpose, such as to support our safe house or hotline:

“I, [name], of [city, state, ZIP], give, devise and bequeath to Hartford Interval House, Inc. [written amount or percentage of the estate or description of property] for its charitable purposes, including but not limited to ___________ use and purpose.”

Contingency bequest

If you wish to make a contingency gift so that Interval House will receive a portion of your estate if your named beneficiary does not survive you:

“If any of the beneficiaries named in this will should die before becoming entitled to receive their distributive share of my estate, I direct my trustee to pay or transfer the share to which such beneficiary would otherwise be entitled, to Hartford Interval House, Inc. for its unrestricted use and purpose.”

If at any point in time and for any reason, you wish to make changes to include Interval House in your will, you can easily amend it by using a Codicil. A codicil is a document your attorney can prepare to amend your will or trust without rewriting the entire document. The codicil adds a new gift to Hartford Interval House, Inc. while reaffirming the other terms of your will.

Always consult with your tax advisor and lawyer to determine which planned gift strategy is best for you.