A Complete Guide to Leaving a Gift in Your Will to Charity

Thinking about our legacy is one of the most profound and meaningful decisions we can make. By choosing to leave a gift in your will to charity, you have the power to extend kindness beyond your lifetime, ensuring vital services continue for generations to come. Many charities, including hospices, rely on these gifts to provide care, comfort, and support to individuals and families facing the most challenging times.

Legacy giving allows you to make a lasting difference while also ensuring that your loved ones are cared for. Whether large or small, your contribution helps hospices like Hospice in the Weald continue their compassionate work, supporting families when they need it most. This guide will take you through everything you need to know about leaving a gift in your will to charity, from the types of gifts available to the practical steps involved in making a bequest.

Common Misconceptions About Charitable Giving in Wills

Despite the benefits of legacy giving, many people hesitate to include charitable bequests in their wills due to common misconceptions. Let’s address some of these concerns:

• “Only the wealthy leave money to charity.” Not true – anyone can leave a gift in their will, and even a modest amount can have a meaningful impact. A small percentage of your estate can still provide significant support to charities.
• “It will take away from my family’s inheritance.” Legacy giving allows you to support both your loved ones and the causes close to your heart. Many people find a balance by leaving a percentage of their estate to charity while ensuring their family is provided for.
• “The process is complicated.” In reality, leaving a charitable gift in your will is straightforward, especially with expert guidance. Charities often have dedicated teams to help supporters navigate the process, making it easier than you might expect.
• “I need to rewrite my entire will.” If you already have a will in place, you can easily add a charitable bequest by using a simple amendment known as a codicil.

The Power of Legacy Giving

Leaving a charitable gift in your will can transform lives and ensure charities can continue their work well into the future. Some of the key benefits include:

• Sustaining long-term care: Hospices and other charities can plan for the future and expand their services, knowing they have a stable source of funding.
• Ensuring continuous support: Your gift allows organisations to provide essential care and services to people who need them most.
• Honouring your values: Your legacy can reflect what mattered most to you in life, ensuring your generosity has a lasting impact.
• Providing stability for charities: Legacy gifts often provide financial stability, allowing charities to invest in new initiatives, improve facilities, and offer expanded services to those in need.

Balancing Family and Charitable Giving

It is entirely possible to provide for your loved ones while also supporting a cause you care about. Many people structure their wills so that a portion of their estate goes to family members, while another portion is allocated to a charity of their choice. By carefully planning your will, you can ensure your family is looked after while also making a meaningful contribution to charity.

Tax Benefits of Legacy Giving

Leaving a charitable gift in your will not only supports the causes you care about but can also offer significant financial advantages, particularly when it comes to Inheritance Tax planning. In the UK, the following benefits apply:

• Charitable gifts are fully exempt from Inheritance Tax (IHT): Any amount left to charity in your will is deducted from the total value of your estate before Inheritance Tax is calculated. This means that your gift to charity reduces the taxable value of your estate, which can lessen the tax burden on your other beneficiaries.
• Reduced Inheritance Tax rate: If you leave 10% or more of your net estate to charity, the IHT rate on the remaining taxable portion of your estate is reduced from 40% to 36%. This can result in a more tax-efficient distribution of your wealth while supporting the charitable causes you believe in.
• Maximising your estate’s value through tax-efficient giving: Thoughtful estate planning allows you to structure your will in a way that minimises tax liabilities while maximising the impact of your legacy. Working with a solicitor or estate planner can help ensure that your charitable giving strategy benefits both your chosen charities and your loved ones.
• Gifting assets instead of cash: In addition to leaving money, you can donate shares, property, or other valuable assets, which may offer further tax efficiencies. Some assets, like shares in a UK-listed company, can be gifted to charity without incurring Capital Gains Tax.
• Pension savings and tax benefits: Some people choose to leave a portion of their pension to charity, as pension pots can be passed on free of Inheritance Tax if left directly to a charity.

By planning ahead, you can use legacy giving as an effective way to reduce your estate’s tax liability while ensuring that your charitable contributions make a meaningful and lasting difference.

Legal Requirements and Ensuring Gift Validity

To ensure your charitable legacy is carried out as you intend, it’s important to follow legal best practices. Here’s how to make sure your gift is legally valid and protected:

• Consult a qualified solicitor: A solicitor who specialises in wills and estate planning can help you structure your will properly and ensure your charitable wishes are legally enforceable.
• Use clear and precise wording: The way your will is written is crucial to ensuring your gift is allocated correctly. If a charity is not named properly, or the wording is ambiguous, there may be difficulties in carrying out your wishes.
• Update your will when necessary: Life circumstances change, so it’s a good idea to review your will regularly to ensure it reflects your latest wishes. If you decide to add a charitable gift to an existing will, you can do so through a simple amendment called a codicil.
• Inform the charity of your intentions: While not legally required, informing your chosen charity about your legacy gift allows them to plan ahead and ensure they can put your generosity to the best possible use.

Taking these steps ensures that your charitable bequest is legally secure, tax-efficient, and able to make the greatest possible impact for the causes you care about.

Rebecca’s legacy has since helped fund Hospice in the Weald’s community services, ensuring that more patients can receive end-of-life care in their own homes, surrounded by their loved ones. Her gift has also played a crucial role in expanding the hospice’s bereavement support services, providing families with the counselling and emotional guidance needed to navigate their grief.

Additionally, her generosity has contributed to the training of specialist palliative care nurses, helping the hospice continue its mission of delivering high-quality, compassionate care. Her decision to leave a charitable gift in her will continues to make a lasting impact, ensuring that Hospice in the Weald remains a sanctuary of comfort, dignity, and support for patients and their families.

Expanding Hospice Services Through Legacy Giving

A family’s legacy gift enabled Hospice in the Weald to enhance its facilities, offering additional counselling services and respite care for families in need. This lasting contribution continues to make a difference in people’s lives every day.

A Family Perspective: Creating a Lasting Impact

One family chose to honour their loved one’s memory by leaving a charitable gift to Hospice in the Weald. Their kindness has helped fund a new outreach programme, ensuring care reaches those who might not otherwise have access to it.

Making a Will for Free

You can make a Will for free through several organisations that work with Hospice in the Weald. You can also write your Will online in under 15 minutes with solicitor support. These services allow you to create a legally valid Will at no cost, with the option to leave a gift to charity if you choose.

• Make a Will Online – Write your Will online in minutes, with expert review to ensure accuracy.
• Free Wills – A simple and accessible way to create a Will online for free.
• Squiggle – Book an appointment with a specialist to receive guidance on Will writing.

These services make it easy to ensure your wishes are legally protected while offering the opportunity to leave a lasting legacy to support hospice care..

Protecting Your Will with Capacity Vault

Planning for the future means ensuring your Will is secure and valid. Capacity Vault provides a permanent, verifiable video record of your testamentary capacity, proving you made your Will with full awareness and understanding.

Benefits of Capacity Vault

• Offers a modern, accessible way to safeguard your Will.
• Particularly useful for those with complex family structures.
• Provides reassurance and legal clarity, preventing potential disputes over testamentary capacity.

Legacy Giving: Shaping Tomorrow’s Care, Today

Leaving a charitable gift in your will is one of the most selfless and impactful decisions you can make. Your generosity ensures that charities like Hospice in the Weald can continue their invaluable work, offering compassionate care and support to those who need it most.

Whether you choose to leave a small donation or a larger legacy gift, your contribution will help fund life-changing services for years to come.

If you’re considering leaving a gift in your will, we invite you to explore our free will-writing services and find out how you can help shape the future of hospice care.

For more information, visit our Gifts in Wills page and discover how you can leave a lasting legacy.