Charities tend to keep clear data on individuals who have confirmed they are leaving a bequest – but what happens after that person passes away? Many charities have a long list of confirmed bequestors who they suspect are deceased, but aren’t taking steps to determine if they were actually left a gift in their Will.

Through tracking probate, proactively contacting solicitors and purchasing probate documents, Bequest Assist is gathering a treasure trove of data on deceased confirmed bequestors. In this session, we’ll present the results of our study: Understanding Bequests Promised vs Bequests Realised in Australia.

In particular we’ll cover:

• We know missing gifts (where the executor never notifies the charitable beneficiary) are an issue overseas, but is this true in Australia? Our data will reveal how common of a problem this is and we’ll share what can be done to prevent it.
• What is the realisation rate of gifts from confirmed bequestors after they pass away? Does this vary between charities or is it consistent?
• What are the most common reasons a charity does not receive a gift from a confirmed bequestor? Do other charities receive the gift instead or does it go entirely to their family?
• Are there differences (in size or type) of the gifts left by confirmed bequestors as opposed to individuals who did not share their intentions with a charity before they died?
• What does this mean for charities when looking at their confirmed bequestor statistics?