Leave a Gift in your Will

Every legacy gift makes a difference to Wolfson College. Many of these unique gifts are invested so that they can be used for the College’s greatest needs – not just now but for the years to come.

Some donors ask for their gifts to be used to support an area of College life that is particularly important to them. This can range from donating towards establishing a hardship bursary, a scholarship in their chosen field, or supporting the Library or College gardens.

A legacy, bequest or planned gift to Wolfson College is a charitable donation that just about anyone can make, wherever you live in the world. Leaving a gift to Wolfson is easy to do and an up-to-date Will provides peace of mind. You can leave a gift of any size to Wolfson.

If you take the generous decision to make a legacy, there are four types of gift you can leave in your Will:

Residuary – a percentage value of the estate, once all other commitments have been settled.

Pecuniary – a gift of a specific sum of money.

Specific – a gift of a particular item(s). For example, a work of art or stocks or shares (we are happy to discuss this with you).

Reversionary – a gift which reverts to a second legacy beneficiary when the original beneficiary dies.

Wolfson College is a charity (1141446) and so legacy gifts are exempt from Inheritance Tax. Leaving a gift in your will may also offer the opportunity to reduce the tax due on your estate.

It is important to consult your legal adviser before drafting a new will, updating an existing one, or making other plans for your estate.

Whether making a new Will, amending your existing one or adding a Codicil (an addition to your existing Will), we do advise that you consult your legal adviser so that your will meets your needs, supports your family and loved ones, and takes advantage of any tax benefits available to you.

Below is sample wording for including Wolfson in your will:

“[In addition to any legacies given in my Will,] I give __________ (the whole, an amount or a percentage share) of my estate to the President and Fellows of Wolfson College in the University of Oxford, to be used for _______________, and I declare that a receipt from the President or Bursar shall be a good and sufficient discharge to my executors.”

Many gifts in wills are given for ‘the general charitable purposes’ of the College. This means that the College can use the gift for the area of greatest need.

If you are interested in leaving a legacy to a specific area of the College or would like to discuss how your legacy gift could be used, please contact Senior Development Officer Alice Marsh (alice.marsh@wolfson.ox.ac.uk) who will be able to discuss options with you.

If you are a US taxpayer, for information regarding making a gift to Wolfson through your Will or another form of a planned gift, please contact the Oxford North American Office at gifts@oxfordna.org.

Everyone who has pledged a bequest to Wolfson in their Will, and notified College of this, is invited to join the Cherwell Society. Each year members are invited to a special lunch and programme of afternoon activities. This is an opportunity to learn more about developments in College and meet other members of the Society. The Cherwell Society has been named in celebration of the College’s geographic fortune on the river, and Wolfsonians’ collective experience of punting trips and views across the Harbour.

To become a member all you have to do is let us know that you have included Wolfson College in your Will. Letting us know does not commit you in any way, but, as a statement of your current intention, it will help the College to best understand your wishes. It is entirely your choice how much detail you wish to disclose, but any detail you give will be treated in the strictest confidence.

We look forward to welcoming you as a member of the Cherwell Society!

Correct wording for a legacy gift

The important information that you will need when writing your Will is:

Charity name: Wolfson College Oxford

Charity Number: 1141446

Wolfson College has the formal title of ‘the President and Fellows of Wolfson College in the University of Oxford’ which should be used in Wills and legal documents.

When writing your Will, please check carefully the accuracy of any percentages used to calculate residuary gifts. It is also good practice to appoint more than one executor.

It is important to consult a legal adviser before drafting a Will, updating an existing one, or making other plans for your estate. Your adviser will help to draft the wording.

To which area should I leave my gift?

Most people leave their legacy gifts for ‘the general charitable purposes’ of the College. This means that the donation can be used for the areas of greatest need.

You can also leave a gift for a specific purpose or for a particular fundraising priority or fund. If you would like to leave a specific gift, please let us know so that we can ensure that we are able to accommodate your wishes. We would be happy to speak with you further about funding priorities at College, to which you might consider supporting.

Do I have to let you know about my Will?

We respect the privacy of all our donors and it is your choice if you want to let us know about your legacy gift.

We invite everyone who has pledged a legacy gift to join the Cherwell Society but there is no compulsion to join. We enjoy meeting the members of the Cherwell Society every year but if you are not a member or would like to visit College at another time, you would be most welcome. Please contact us and we can arrange a convenient time for your visit.