Your Beneficiaries Help

Beneficiaries are the people and organisations who receive gifts or shares of your estate. This guide explains who can be a beneficiary, what to enter on this page, and common mistakes to avoid.

What is a beneficiary?

• People — family members, friends, or anyone you choose (including minors).
• Organisations — charities, trusts, or companies (e.g., donations to a registered charity).
• You can add one required beneficiary and up to 20 in total.

What information do I enter here?

• Full legal name for each beneficiary (as shown on ID for people).
• Contact (email or phone) — optional but helpful for clarity.
• Relationship to you — select from the list or choose Other and fill in Specify Other.
• Children/minors — if a beneficiary is under 18, record their current age.
• Organisations — toggle on, then add each Charity, Trust, or Company with its details. For charities, you can search and attach register info for accuracy.

People and Organisations

• People — use full legal names and accurate relationships (e.g., “Daughter”, “Sibling”).
• Organisations — use the full legal name. For a charity, including its registration number and website helps avoid confusion.

How will gifts and shares be allocated?

Listing beneficiaries identifies who can receive. You allocate what they receive later on the Gifts and/or Estate pages (e.g., specific items or percentage shares). Keep names consistent so allocations match the right person or organisation.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Using nicknames instead of full legal names for people.
• Selecting Other but not filling in Specify Other.
• Leaving out a beneficiary you intend to include (review your list carefully).
• Not capturing the age for beneficiaries who are minors.
• For organisations, entering an informal name instead of the legal name (and register details for charities).

Quick Questions

• Can a beneficiary also be an executor? Yes — common in NZ wills.
• Can I name a minor? Yes. Record their age now; funds are usually held until they are 18 (or staged later if you choose).
• Can I add charities? Yes — use their legal name and registration details for accuracy.
• Do I have to add contact details? No, but adding an email or phone helps executors if clarification is needed.