Wills and Bequests

What kind of gifts might I consider in my estate planning?

Depending on the specific laws and regulations in your country, you can have many options open for you to consider. Bequests in your will tend to be the most common but your estate might also include gifts of life insurance policies, real estate, retirement assets, annuities, personal property, or placing assets in trust with the Scholarships named as a beneficiary. With some planned gifts you can continue to receive income from an asset during your lifetime. Your tax bill can also be reduced, for example by gifting assets such as securities which have risen in value, or by lowering your estate tax liability.

Information for other interested supporters

The Rhodes Trust welcomes estate gifts from all members of the broader community and we would be happy to discuss the Scholarships with any interested supporters including estate planners, lawyers and financial advisors or anyone interested in supporting the oldest, and arguably most prestigious Scholarship programme in the world.

Recognising your support

Bequests and planned gifts are an important way to  sustain the Rhodes Scholarships in the years, decades and centuries to come. With your agreement we are delighted to recognise and honour your future gift now by including you as a member of The Rhodes Society list in our annual donor report and including you in various special events that may be held in your region.

Tax Efficient Giving

All information provided is general in nature and does not constitute legal or financial advice. We strongly encourage you to seek professional legal, estate planning and/or financial advice as you decide on your next steps.

Please note: Rhodes Trust has affiliated tax registered charities in nine jurisdictions: the UK, USA, Australia, Canada, Germany, Hong Kong, India, New Zealand, and South Africa. It is important that your estate planning includes the relevant Rhodes affiliate’s correct legal name to ensure that your bequest is executed in accordance with your wishes. If you already have made arrangements for a bequest or planned gift please take time now to check that the appropriate Rhodes legal entity is named.  Please feel free to contact us at the email listed below for further information as a beneficiary.

This is my Legacy 

"Thinking about what each of us wants our personal legacy to be is complicated, often difficult, yet also often joyful challenge. As Rhodes Scholars we can be especially challenged by this as the Scholarships themselves encourages us to leave the world in a better place than we found it. Like you, I know that the Scholarship and Oxford changed my life- in ways big and small. I am forever grateful to teachers and mentors I will never forget, to friendships forged over late night coffee (and often other beverages!) that remain strong today, and for so many doors that were opened to me both professionally and personally. That's why Brad and I have decided to include the Scholarships in our will. I know that all of us have organisations in our lives that are especially meaningful to us. Rhodes Trust is among those that I am most committed to and one I want to make sure remains strong in the years, decades and centuries to come. Even though I (we) support the Scholars Fund each year, I (we) also wanted to do something that would be a lasting legacy. A way to say 'thank you' to the Trust for what it has given me. A way to ensure that the next generation of Scholars from around the world will be as inspired and excited as we all were the first time we saw those magical spires of Oxford"

Brian Rolfes (Prairies & Wadham 1989)