Sample Wording for Bequests

When making or revising a will, you should obtain the assistance of an attorney. American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) staff will be pleased to work with you and your attorney to design an estate plan specifically tailored to your wishes. The following are suggested forms for making various types of bequests to the AACR.

Outright Bequest in Will (Unrestricted)

The following provision in your will creates an unrestricted bequest, which assures that your gift will be used where it is most needed.

1. Specific dollar amount:
   “I bequeath the sum of $_____ to the American Association for Cancer Research Foundation, a Pennsylvania nonprofit corporation having a principal place of business at 615 Chestnut St, 17th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19106, Federal Tax ID #23-3100004, to be used or disposed of as the American Association for Cancer Research Foundation in its sole discretion deems appropriate.”
2. Percentage amount:
   “I bequeath the sum of (___ percent) of my estate to the American Association for Cancer Research Foundation, a Pennsylvania nonprofit corporation having a principal place of business at 615 Chestnut St, 17th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19106, Federal Tax ID #23-3100004, to be used or disposed of as the American Association for Cancer Research Foundation in its sole discretion deems appropriate.”
3. Share of or entire residue of estate:
   “I devise and bequeath (all) (___ percent) of the remainder of my property to the American Association for Cancer Research Foundation, a Pennsylvania nonprofit corporation having a principal place of business at 615 Chestnut St, 17th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19106, Federal Tax ID #23-3100004, to be used or disposed of as the American Association for Cancer Research Foundation in its sole discretion deems appropriate.”

Conditional Bequest in Will

Insert the conditional language in one or more of the above provisions. For example:

“If my husband [wife] does not survive me [or other condition], I bequeath the sum of $_____ to the American Association for Cancer Research Foundation, a Pennsylvania nonprofit corporation having a principal place of business at 615 Chestnut St, 17th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19106, Federal Tax ID #23-3100004, to be used or disposed of as the American Association for Cancer Research Foundation in its sole discretion deems appropriate.”

Restricted Use

You may want to designate your gift for some special purpose within the scope of the AACR’s mission. You can restrict the use of the principal, income, or both in this fashion:

“I bequeath the sum of $_____ to the American Association for Cancer Research Foundation, a Pennsylvania nonprofit corporation having a principal place of business at 615 Chestnut St, 17th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19106, Federal Tax ID #23-3100004, for the following use: ________.”

If you designate your bequest for a specific purpose, we request that you include the following will provision to ensure that your gift will continue to provide for the AACR’s needs. For example:

“However, I impose no legal or equitable obligation in this regard.”
or, “If in the judgment of the AACR Foundation it becomes, or is likely to become, impossible or impractical to accomplish the purposes of this gift, the income or principal, or both, may be used for such related purposes and in such manner as determined by the AACR Foundation.”

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