What is the legacy gift intention form template?
Gifts in wills fund a great deal of charitable work, yet most organisations only learn about them when an executor writes. Supporters who tell you in advance can be thanked in their lifetime, invited to meet the people their gift will help, and have their wishes written down clearly. They also help you plan, because even a rough idea of future legacy income makes long-term commitments easier.
This template is written for that conversation. Page one is short: the supporter's name, optional email, phone and address, and their connection with you. Page two starts with "Where are you with your plans?" — already done, planning, or still thinking. People who are still thinking skip the questions about gift type and value, so nobody feels pressed for details they don't have yet.
Everyone else is asked "What kind of gift is it?" in plain words: a share of what's left, a fixed sum, a specific item, a beneficiary nomination or a trust. Choosing to share an estimated value reveals "Estimated value" and an optional percentage. The supporter can steer the gift to a program, dedicate it to someone they've lost and choose how to be recognised. A short paragraph explains that the form isn't part of their will and they can change their mind. Each response is filed as a PDF in your FileIt vault.
- Best for
- Charities, hospices, universities, churches and foundations with a legacy or planned giving program
- Filled in by
- Supporters who have left, or plan to leave, a gift in their will
- Time to complete
- About 4 minutes
- Includes
- Plan stage, gift type, optional value and percentage, purpose, dedication, recognition, keep-in-touch choice
Who uses a legacy gift intention form?
- A "Tell us about your gift" link on your legacy giving web page
- A reply option inside a legacy mailing or brochure
- Building a list of members for a legacy society
- Recording a supporter's wishes about how their gift is used
- Following up after a free will-writing promotion
- Collecting in-memory dedications to honour later
Questions on this legacy gift intention form
19 questions over 2 pages · includes conditional questions, multiple pages, consent checkbox.
1 About you
- Your name*
- Phone
- Address
- Your connection with us I give regularly · I've given in the past · I volunteer or used to · I'm a member · Someone close to me was helped by you
2 Your gift
- Where are you with your plans?* I've already included a gift in my will · I'm planning to · I'm still thinking about it
- What kind of gift is it?* asked only when it applies A share of what's left after other gifts (a residuary gift) · A fixed sum of money · A specific item or property · Naming you as beneficiary of a retirement account or life insurance policy · A gift through a trust · I'm not sure yet
- Would you like to tell us roughly what it's worth? asked only when it applies Yes, I'll share an estimated value · I'd rather not say
- Estimated value* asked only when it applies
- Or, as a percentage of your estate asked only when it applies
- How would you like your gift to be used?* Wherever the need is greatest · A particular program or area of our work · Our endowment or long-term fund
- Which program or area?* asked only when it applies
- Is your gift in memory of someone?
- Their name asked only when it applies
- How would you like to be recognised?* Please include my name among our legacy supporters · Please keep my gift anonymous · I'd like to talk about it
- Name to use asked only when it applies
- Would you like us to keep in touch about your gift?* Yes, including invitations to events for legacy supporters · Yes, just occasional updates · No, thank you
- Is there anything you'd like us to know?
- Your information*
The legacy gift intention form, page by page
1 About you
Only "Your name" is required. Email, phone and address are optional, so a supporter who'd rather be contacted by post isn't forced to give an email. "Your connection with us" covers regular givers, past donors, volunteers, members and families you've helped, with an Other box.
2 Your gift
"Where are you with your plans?" comes first. Unless the answer is "I'm still thinking about it", the form asks "What kind of gift is it?" and "Would you like to tell us roughly what it's worth?"; choosing to share shows "Estimated value", with help text saying it isn't a promise, and an optional percentage of the estate. "How would you like your gift to be used?" can point to a particular program, which asks which one. An in-memory dedication, recognition choice (named, anonymous or talk about it), a name to use, how to keep in touch and a free-text message follow. The page ends with a reassurance paragraph and a statement about keeping the details on file.
Make the template yours
- Replace the purpose options with your own funds and programs
- Name your legacy society in the recognition question
- Change the currency on the estimated value
- Edit the closing paragraph so it matches how your organisation talks about legacies
- Send responses to a restricted vault folder that only your legacy team can open
- Rewrite the confirmation message with the name of the person who will reply
Tips for a better legacy gift intention form
- Reply personally and quickly — a thank-you letter matters more here than anywhere
- Respect "I'd rather not say"; never chase a value the supporter chose not to give
- Record any wishes about how the gift is used where your team will see them years from now
- Check in every few years in case a supporter's plans or contact details have changed
- Keep your legacy wording warm and low-pressure; this form deliberately is
Every response becomes a PDF in your vault
Each response is filed as a PDF in the vault folder you choose, and you're emailed when one arrives. If the supporter gave an email, they can receive a copy of what they told you.
Use the Responses table to see who has joined your legacy supporters, and export to CSV to total estimated values for planning or to prepare invitations.
- Start from this template. It opens in the FileIt Forms designer — change any question, add pages, set the rules for when questions appear.
- Share it. Turn on a public link, or send it to people by email, each with their own link. They don’t need a FileIt account.
- Get the answers as PDFs. Each response is saved as a PDF in the vault folder you choose, with uploaded files attached — and listed in a Responses table you can export to CSV.
Legacy gift intention form: frequently asked questions
Is this legacy gift form free?
Yes. It's a starter template in FileIt's Forms app, included on every plan.
Is the form a legal document?
No. It records a supporter's intentions for your records. The closing paragraph says so, and you can edit it.
Do supporters have to say how much they're leaving?
No. The value question is optional, and the amount only appears if they choose to share an estimate.
What if someone is still deciding?
Choosing "I'm still thinking about it" skips the gift-type and value questions, so they can still tell you how they'd like a future gift to be used.
Can a gift be dedicated to someone?
Yes. Answering yes to the in-memory question asks for the person's name.
Do supporters need a FileIt account?
No. They fill the form in from your link on any device.