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Assistance by air – thanks to your legacy

More and more people are keen to continue doing good once they are gone and support an organisation that is especially close to their heart. By making provision in your will for Rega, you are helping Rega continue its mission in future: providing medical assistance by air in Switzerland and abroad.

Doing good with your will

Did you know that, as well as your nearest and dearest, you can also remember a charitable organisation such as Rega in your will? By making Rega a beneficiary in your will, you are helping us to stay airborne in the future and bring urgently needed medical assistance to 13,000 patients each year – 365 days a year, around the clock, with our highly qualified personnel and state-of-the-art rescue equipment. Whether by appointing an heir or in a bequest, you will be helping Rega to continuously improve air rescue by investing in employees, infrastructure and innovations.

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Why is a will so important?

By writing a will (also called a testamentary disposition) or contract of inheritance, you are establishing clarity about your estate while still alive and ensuring that your values and your wishes are respected. Regardless of your financial situation, you determine, within the applicable provisions of law, what is to happen with your assets. Prudent estate planning, which is clear and specific in its wording, makes things much easier for your relatives and can avoid arguments. By making a will, you can dispose as you wish of the disposable part of your assets and ensure that your loved ones, close friends and/or an institution close to your heart benefit.  

Rega helicopter at the Aletsch Glacier

Who is automatically entitled to inherit?

Inheritance law is covered by the Swiss Civil Code (CC) and determines who the statutory heirs are and what portion of the inheritance they receive. Spouses, registered partners and descendants are protected by a statutory entitlement, so are automatically entitled to inherit. All other relatives are not protected by the statutory entitlement rule and can be included or excluded from the inheritance at your discretion.   

The portion in excess of the statutory entitlement is called the disposable part. If there are no heirs with statutory entitlement, the entire assets constitute the disposable part. You can make whatever arrangements you wish in a will with regard to the disposable part. By doing this, you can ensure that other relatives, your partner or organisations important to you, benefit.

Use our inheritance calculator to calculate the statutory entitlements and the disposable part.  

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How do I make a will?

Making a holographic will is straightforward. However, a few formal requirements must be met in order for it to be valid; it must be handwritten, dated and signed, and the location must be stated.  

The will template takes you step by step through the process of writing your will. At the same time, it assigns the legally protected statutory entitlements and shows you which parts of your assets you can dispose of freely.   

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What is the procedure?

1. Draw up your personal will online.

2. Appoint an executor and name them in the will (recommended).

3. Copy the template by hand, and add the place, date and your signature to your will.

4. Keep the will in a safe place where it can quickly be located, such as at the competent authority, a bank, a notary's office or with a legal firm.

If your family and financial circumstances are complex, we recommend engaging the services of a specialist.  

Frequently asked questions about wills and legacies

By appointing heirs, you can bequeath a portion or the entirety of your estate to a person or institution. An heir cooperates with managing and distributing the inheritance and is jointly and severally liable for the testator’s debts, irrespective of their share of the estate.  

By making a legacy, you leave a particular item or a specified sum of money to a beneficiary, who is either a person or an institution. The heirs are obliged to hand over that item or sum of money to the beneficiary. The beneficiaries are entitled only to the issue of the legacy, and have no other rights or obligations. They are not liable for the estate debts.  

An executor can be named in a will. This may be either a trusted individual, such as a lawyer, or a company, such as a bank. The executor will execute your will in accordance with your wishes, manage the inheritance, settle debts, hand over any legacies and carry out the division of the estate in accordance with your will and the law.  

Have your will checked by a qualified legal specialist. Store your will in a safe place where it can quickly be located (e.g. at the competent authority, a bank, a notary's office or with a legal firm). Also keep a copy of the will at home with your official documents and make a written note of where the original is located.  

Inheritance tax is charged on the amounts inherited by the individual heirs and legatees. In most cantons, the amount of this tax depends on the degree of relationship. Each canton has its own inheritance and tax laws. Contributions to Rega as a charitable organisation are tax-exempt. Therefore, amounts left to Rega in a will are not reduced by inheritance taxes.  

Helicopter in flight

Would you like more information?

Do you have any questions or would you like further information? Do not hesitate to contact us if you would like to discuss the matter in person. All information will be treated in the strictest confidence.

Contact:

Antonella Stefanelli
Head of Donations and Legacies
Tel.: +41 44 654 33 05

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Swiss Air-Rescue, Rega
Rega Center
P.O. Box 1414
8058 Zurich Airport

Legal notice

The inheritance calculator and the will template are intended for people whose place of residence is in Switzerland and are provided for general information. They may not be appropriate for particular circumstances in specific, individual cases and are not a substitute for personal advice. Rega does not assume any guarantee or liability for accuracy, completeness or topicality in individual cases. It is imperative to consult a specialist regarding complex family and financial circumstances. Should your personal or economic situation change, you must independently decide whether your will reflects the current circumstances.