Donate to a Charity in My Will
We appreciate the sensitive nature of this subject, but your support is desperately needed by charities in the UK. Many charitable organisations rely on legacy gifts (something left to them in a donor’s Will). They are a vital source of income.
When it comes to writing a Will, we understand that your loved ones should come first. After relatives and friends have been taken care of, and of course if there is anything left over, any one of the charities featured on the Giving with Certainty site would be most grateful if you would consider leaving them a legacy gift.
There are three main ways by which you can leave a legacy gift to a charity...
1) Residuary Bequest: a percentage of what is left over from your estate after all your loved ones and other beneficiaries have received their inheritances and all your other costs have been taken care of.
2) Pecuniary Bequest: a gift of an exact amount of money.
3) Specific Bequest: property, jewellery or other specific items can be left to a charity.
You are also able to make what is known as a Reversionary Bequest. This is a little more detailed, so we suggest you contact your solicitor for further information.
Free Will Registration
Our Charity Members are able to offer you Will registration (or registration at a much-reduced cost) if you choose to leave a gift to them. Your Will is registered with Certainty - The National Will Register and is listed on the UK‘s central electronic register of Wills. Registering your Will helps to ensure your last wishes are carried out.
Whichever type of legacy gift you choose to leave, and to whichever charity you choose to leave it, it will need to be included in your Will. However, your wishes may count for nothing if your Will can't be found.
Why Write a Will?
If you've chosen to leave money to charity, then it follows that you'll want to make sure your chosen charity gets exactly what you've left it. To do that, you'll need a Will. There are also a number of other sound reasons why we recommend that you register your Will.
To allow you to decide what happens to your estate...
Over the course of our lifetime we usually take care of our assets. Surely it's sensible to take the same care with our money and possessions after we are gone. When someone dies and a Will can't be found, they die "intestate". This means their estate is distributed according to the law. Therefore, your loved ones and those to whom you would have chosen to leave something in your Will, might not get anything.
Ensure loved ones are provided for...
It’s a simple matter to state, in your Will, who gets what. A correctly drawn up Will, which can be found, means that your final requests will be carried out. If you are thinking about leaving something to a minor (someone under eighteen) you may want to include your choice of guardian in the Will. You may also wish to consider leaving money or property in trust until they reach eighteen.
To help mitigate Inheritance Tax (IHT) on your estate...
Leaving a legacy gift is a sound way of reducing your Inheritance Tax liability. Tax isn't charged on money or property left to a UK registered charity. All your debts are paid for out of your estate, which can further reduce any tax payable. There are also other exemptions for certain business and land assets and your funeral costs are also taken into account.
To appoint your executors...
You can to choose up to four executors to oversee the administration of your estate after death. If you don't choose an executor, the court has the right to. They will normally appoint a close family member in these cases.
