Give back what multiple sclerosis takes away. Support MS Plus with a Gift in Will. Your bequest to charity funds crucial MS research and support services.
A gift in your Will (often called a Bequest or a Legacy) can be transformative to those living with multiple sclerosis (MS). Your gift can help fund vital MS research as well as provide essential care and services that will change lives forever.
Your gift can help give back what multiple sclerosis takes away.
Our promise
LIKE TO TALK TO SOMEONE ABOUT BEQUESTS?
Email or call 1800 443 867 and chat to Laura or one of the friendly people at MS Plus who will happily answer gift in your Will questions.
Why leave a gift in your Will to MS Plus
Your gift to MS Plus will help change the future for Australians who live with Multiple Sclerosis (MS).
A gift in your Will can reduce the pain and distress caused by MS, a cruel condition that steals hopes, dreams and potential.
More than 33,000 people in Australia live with MS. Since 1956, MS Plus has fought to improve the lives of people affected by MS. And now, because of generous bequests from the community to MS Plus, the end of MS is in sight.
But we’re not there yet. And the number of people diagnosed with MS is increasing.
A gift in your Will now costs nothing, but will help free future generations from the life-limiting effects of Multiple Sclerosis.
Today, a cure for MS seems imminent – rather than simply possible. The ability to reverse the progress of MS is also tantalisingly close.
Fast track a cure. Care until we're there.
How to leave a gift in your Will
At MS Plus, we recommend you start by considering your values, your family, and the difference you want to make in the world.
It’s absolutely possible (in fact, we encourage it!) to look after family first, but still leave a gift in your Will to MS Plus.
You don’t have to be rich to make a difference. Even 1% of your estate will help create a better future for people who have MS.
You don’t have to be rich to make a difference. Even leaving a small gift in your estate can help create a better future for people living with MS. You can even leave a gift in Memory of someone you love or respect.
You can choose to direct your gift to MS Plus towards general use, or to support a specific area such as research or services for people with MS.
If you decide to include MS Plus in your Will, we recommend you contact a solicitor who will make sure your Will accurately reflects your wishes.
While it does help us to know if you have chosen to leave a gift in your Will, and we’d like to thank and acknowledge you, MS Plus understands it’s a very personal decision and won’t ask you for details.
George will change life for future generations with his gift in Will.
George lives with secondary progressive MS, and says, “MS is completely different today than it was when I was diagnosed 20 plus years ago – the difference in that period of time is massive, and I believe all the research into MS that has happened in that time, has made this happen.”
Read more about George and other inspiring people who’ll transform MS care and treatment through their charitable gifts.
The difference you can make
If you were diagnosed with MS in the 1950s, your condition would have been considered ‘untreatable’. The best doctors could do was try to reduce the severity of some symptoms.
A person diagnosed with MS today can benefit from a range of treatments which help manage symptoms and slow the progress of their disease. They can access services that support a dignified, fulfilling life.
Charity gifts from generous people in the community are crucial to continuing this progress.
Your gift in Will donation of any size to MS Plus could:
speed up the pace of research discovery and fast-track a cure
fund wonderful facilities such as MS Wellbeing centres
make information, connection and support available, so people can live well with MS.
Your gift could help create a future when MS can easily be stopped in its tracks.
Our MS Heroes become members of our MS Callistemon League. This is the special honorary giving society they join through their pledge. They are kind benefactors who have an impact to both the lives of those living with MS and to our own lives.
LIKE TO TALK TO SOMEONE ABOUT BEQUESTS?
Email or call 1800 443 867 and chat to Laura or one of the friendly people at MS Plus who will happily answer gift in your Will questions.
FAQs
A bequest is a gift left to a person or organisation in one’s Will. It’s also known as a Gift in Will.
Yes. The terms both mean leaving a donation or item of value to a charity to make a positive difference.
That’s the most common type of bequest, but not the only gift you can leave in your Will to charity.
You can also leave a devise or a gift of real estate such as a house or property. You can leave a gift or a legacy of jewellery or art or other collections. Some might think of this as bequeath or leave a bequest real estate or bequeath or leave a bequest of jewellery and art.
Here are the main ones. Residual gifts are preferred by many people, but MS Plus recommends you speak with your solicitor about the best type of charity bequest for you.
You can also bequeath, leave a gift in Will of items of jewellery, art, shares or intangible items such as legal rights, these are known as "legacy" so you can leave a gift just like bequests of cash and money.
Yes, in some cases. Speak with your solicitor, your accountant or estate planner to learn if you could benefit in this way through a bequest to charity.
It involves making or changing your Will so that a charity is included among beneficiaries of your estate. You can find bequest wording examples in our Giving Toolkit.
We certainly do. We have lots of information that you can read at your leisure or take to your advisor on the best way you could make an impact.
You can read our user-friendly guide to Gifts in Will guide below. If you have already left a gift in your Will to MS Plus, you can find out about the membership benefits of the MS Callistemon League here.
You may choose to share these resources with your solicitor if you are deciding how to create a Will that reflects your values and makes a lasting difference.
Write a FREE Will with Gathered Here
We have partnered with Gathered Here, an online service that simplifies the process of writing a Will.
If you need a fairly simple Will, the Gathered Here online service is free. It can take as little as 10 mins to create a Will this way.
For more complicated estates or customised Wills, Gathered Here charges a modest fee.
Both options allow you to include a charitable bequest to MS Plus and make a lasting difference in the lives of people living with MS.
The impact of MS
Multiple sclerosis (MS) affects thousands of Australians and is the leading cause of disability in young adults.
33.3
thousand Australians living with MS
131
Australians living with MS per 100k people, up from 103 in 2017
30
average age of diagnosis
I want to make a difference now, what can I give to MS Plus?
Want to make a difference for MS Plus now? Here are some options:
Donate Now: A cash gift provides immediate support and offers you a tax deduction. Make a gift online today.
Private Ancillary Funds: Transfer funds from your charitable trust to support MS Plus long-term.
In Memory Gift: Honour someone special with a gift that creates a lasting tribute and aids those with MS. Visit our In Loving Memory website to find out more.
Gifts of Shares: Donate shares directly to MS Plus for a full-value gift with minimal taxes.
Gifts of Property: Bequeath property or assets to MS Plus. These gifts are tax-deductible and can minimise estate taxes.
Matching Gift Opportunities: Sponsor a matching gift challenge to double the impact of your giving and mobilise others for MS care and research. Contact us to find out more.
LIKE TO TALK TO SOMEONE ABOUT BEQUESTS?
Email or call 1800 443 867 and chat to Laura or one of the friendly people at MS Plus who will happily answer gift in your Will questions.