To mark September as Wills Month, Momentum Waikato is partnering with leading law firm Tompkins Wake to make it easier to create or update your Will.

During the month you can access their ‘Create your free Will’ web tool at tompkinswake.com/create-your-free-will.

Enter your details into the template there and it generates a simple legal Will. Then you can sign it and get it witnessed and lodged with the lawyer of your choice, with no obligation to use Tompkins Wake. Note though that a complex Will will require legal advice. 

Or if you live in Hamilton, Tompkins Wake is offering a free no-obligation 30-minute Will discussion during the month of September. To arrange this, contact Gemma Bodle via Gemma.Bodle@tompkinswake.co.nz or 07 838 6002.

‘Wills Month’ in September is an annual reminder to create or update this all-important record of your wishes for when you pass away.

Having an up-to-date Will gives you peace of mind that you have planned for the people and causes you care about, making it easier for your family and friends to do the right thing when the time comes.

It is of course best to first talk to your family about your Will. Providing for your loved ones is the first priority, but you may also wish to leave a gift in your Will to a cause, charity, or your community. 

Like all community foundations, Momentum Waikato is building an endowment fund for our region by gathering donations and such bequests, with the resulting investment income being re-invested, granted or loaned to local social enterprises, not-for-profits and changemakers.

It is a well-proven model for ensuring your giving has a positive and ongoing impact, rather than being ‘all used up at once’, so is an effective strategy when you want to leave an ongoing income stream to an organisation or community you support.

Momentum Waikato has received gift-in-Will pledges from a number of Waikato families and individuals – we can complete a formal bequest agreement covering what you will leave and how the resulting income is to be used.

Such an agreement is ideal but not essential – community foundations often only learn they are receiving a bequest once a Will has been opened. How ever you approach it, it is best to talk to a lawyer first.   

To find out more, please contact Momentum Waikato via the form below.