Charitable bequests: leaving a lasting legacy

We Australians respond rapidly and generously to humanitarian crises. We also support charities on a regular basis. The most recent data available from the Australian Taxation Office shows that in the 2009–10 financial year, some 4.4 million Australians (35.6 per cent of all taxpayers) made and claimed tax-deductible donations; just short of $2 billion. A broader review of charitable giving conducted on behalf of the Australian Government has estimated that approximately 90 per cent of adult Australians make some form of monetary charitable gift over the course of one year. Such a high participation rate in charitable giving is something we can be proud of.