Choosing to leave a gift to CRY in your will is an extremely generous gesture and will enable CRY to continue its important work in reducing the frequency of young sudden cardiac death. You can see the importance of this work in this video hosted by Pixie Lott.
We hope the following information will help you to consider the importance of making a will and assisting you if you feel able to support the charity with a legacy:
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- Why you should make a will
- What to include in your will
- What a legacy could do for CRY
- Help with including CRY in your will
- Who can help you write a will
- The Goodwill Partnership
- Our legacy promise to you
- FAQ about legacies
- Legacies – a glossary of terms
- CRY’s Fundraising Principles – helping you give with confidence
Why you should make a will
If you want to be sure your wishes will be met after you die, then a will is vital. Here are 6 reasons why it’s important to make a will:
• Peace of mind – Your will is the only way to make sure your savings and possessions (your estate) go to the people and causes that you care about. Without a will, everything you own will be shared out in a standard way defined by the law, which might not be the way you wanted it.
• Avoiding family disputes – Disputes over wills can cause arguments among family members and may even need a solicitor to resolve them. Leaving a will should remove any doubt about who you want to leave your estate to. Close relatives and dependants may still be able to make a claim on your estate, but a solicitor can advise you on how likely this is and the best way to prevent it.
• Looking after your family – Although it’s hard for loved ones to talk about death, talking about your will can save everyone a lot of worry. Deciding who you want to leave your possessions to can help you make sure they go to the people you intended and avoids potential conflict/upset within the family.
• Protecting your rights – If you aren’t married (this includes civil partnerships), you don’t have the same rights. You can provide for your partner by including them in your will.
• Saving on Inheritance Tax – With a carefully-planned will, you can also cut the Inheritance Tax bill on your estate after your death. You can read more about this benefit by going to – https://www.gov.uk/donating-to-charity/leaving-gifts-to-charity-in-your-will.
• Your funeral – Your will can make sure that your family know your preferences for the type of funeral service you would like.
What to include in your will
You must make it absolutely clear what you want to happen to your whole estate. You can make specific gifts to particular people or you could divide your estate between a number of people in certain proportions. You should also state what you want to happen if a beneficiary should die before you do.
Before making a will, it’s worth drawing up a list of your assets and debts. This will give you a clearer idea of what your estate could be worth and how you may consider dividing it. You can normally find a guide of what to include by speaking to your solicitor in advance of going in to discuss writing your Will.
After providing for family and friends, many people choose to leave legacies to their favourite charities. A legacy is simply a donation made in a will.
Different types of legacies include:
• residual – a proportion of your estate’s value
• pecuniary – a set sum of money
• specific – a named item, such as a house, gold watch, or piece of furniture.
What a legacy could do for CRY
A donation of £65 would ensure that one young person could receive a cardiac screening which could identify a potentially life threatening condition, so a gift in your will could achieve even more!
CRY focuses on four main areas to support those affected by young sudden cardiac death: Screening, Research, Support and Awareness. You can find out more about what a gift in your will could help CRY achieve by going to https://www.c-r-y.org.uk/trust-fundraising/.
If you would like to discuss any of these projects in further detail or have any questions, please don’t hesitate to call the CRY office on 01737 363 222 or email [email protected].
Help with including CRY in your will
If you would like to leave a gift to us in your will, you will need to include our address and registered charity number:
Cardiac Risk in the Young
Unit 1140B The Axis Centre
Cleeve Road
Leatherhead
KT22 7RD
A charity registered in England (1050845)
If you plan to leave a legacy to a charity, make sure you include the charity’s full name, address and registered charity number. Incorrect information may result in the charity not receiving the legacy.
If you provide this information to your chosen solicitor, they will be able to incorporate your charitable donation into your will on the terms you would prefer.
If you plan to leave specific property/possessions rather than a residual or pecuniary sum, please contact the CRY office on 01737 363 222 to discuss this, to ensure that the charity would be able to benefit from your support.
If you are a solicitor or other professional who needs further information about the charity to enable you to assist making a will, please call the CRY office on 01737 363 222 or email [email protected].
Who can help you write a will?
Once you have decided to make or change a will, the first step would be to arrange an appointment with a solicitor.
You may have a solicitor you have used before, or you can contact the relevant Law Society for where you live and they can help you find one.
England and Wales – http://solicitors.lawsociety.org.uk – 020 7320 5650
Scotland – https://www.lawscot.org.uk/find-a-solicitor/ – 0131 2267411
Northern Ireland – https://www.lawsoc-ni.org/solicitors – 028 9023 1614
Isle of Man – http://www.iomlawsociety.co.im/advocates-database/ – 01624 662910
We would always recommend choosing a solicitors firm that has received the Wills and Inheritance Quality Scheme (WIQS) accreditation. This is awarded to those that follow best practice procedures to meet the highest standards of technical expertise and client service in providing wills and probate advice.
Writing a will need not be complicated or expensive. Typically, a solicitor might charge £150-300 for making a simple will but this can vary depending on the complexity of your estate and requests.
Before visiting your solicitor, it’s a good idea to know the value of your estate. We would recommend you write a list of all your assets, including any savings, investments and your possessions (as well as any debts) to help you work this out.
It is possible to write your own will for those of you who have simple estates and feel confident in preparing your own document using a template will-writing kit or online service. Before choosing this option, you should be aware that if you make any mistakes, you won’t benefit from the protection (professional indemnity insurance, the Legal Ombudsman, or the relevant code of practice) you’d get if a solicitor prepared it for you.
The Goodwill Partnership
CRY is delighted to have joined forces with The Goodwill Partnership to help our supporters with their legacy plans. The Goodwill Partnership offers best practice, home visits and solicitor-provided wills to supporters and volunteers of the charities signed up with them.
The benefits of the service being offered include:
• A home visit service covering all of England & Wales. People often put off writing a will, but it is made easier if it is done in the comfort of one’s home.
• Telephone options are also available for those who prefer this method.
• All wills are solicitor-provided and therefore regulated by The Law Society – giving greater reassurance.
• Price – the special charity rate of just £108 (excluding VAT) is the lowest cost available for a home visit, solicitor-provided will.
• No up-sell. The price is fixed and you will not be up-sold any other services, unlike many other providers.
For more information and to book your appointment please visit https://www.thegoodwillpartnership.co.uk/cry/ or call 01296 531675.
Our legacy promise to you
Deciding to leave a charitable gift in your will is a very generous decision and crucial for charities. CRY isn’t able to do the work it does without the help of our supporters, which is why we value your generosity so highly. If you want to discuss a potential gift to CRY in your will or if you have any question we promise that:
• We won’t put you under any pressure – we understand this is a big decision and want you to decide in your own time.
• We’ll answer any questions honestly and quickly and to the best of our ability, guiding you to other organisations/charities if we aren’t best able to help.
• We will respect your privacy – you don’t have to tell us your decision. If you decide to let us know about the gift in your will, we will never ask you the size or type of your legacy unless you want to inform us.
• We respect that your loved ones come first and won’t try to change that.
• We promise to use your generous gift wisely and cost-effectively in our efforts to reduce the incidence of young sudden cardiac death and will respect any requests that you make.
• We use as much of our donations as possible, for our charitable objectives. For every £1 given, 84p is spent in helping to reduce the frequency of young sudden cardiac death.
• We will ensure that you are updated about the work of CRY in accordance with your wishes, but there will be no request for further funding from yourself or your family at any point.
• We understand that circumstances change and there may be a time where you will need to take CRY out of your will. You have the right to change your mind at any time in the future.
FAQ about legacies
I have already left a gift in my will
If you have already chosen to leave us a gift in your will, we’d like to hear from you and thank you for your kind support. Please let us know by contacting us via email [email protected] or telephone on 01737 363 222.
What if I don’t make a will?
If you don’t make a will, your estate will be divided by the government using special intestacy rules. This may mean that your estate is not distributed as you intended.
I have a will already, how can I include/amend a legacy?
You can request to make minor changes to your existing will, including adding a charitable gift, by creating a codicil (amendment). Your solicitor, if you have one, will be able to assist with this. Please bear in mind that major changes in your life (divorce/re-marriage, etc) will require you to create a new will.
Can I reduce the amount of Inheritance Tax on my estate by leaving a legacy?
Yes you can. You can find out more by going to – https://www.gov.uk/donating-to-charity/leaving-gifts-to-charity-in-your-will.
I’d like to support you in other ways
We greatly appreciate any support you would like to give us. There are many ways you can get involved from fundraising to volunteering and raising awareness. Please look at the fundraising section of the website for more information on this.
Can I choose where and how I would like my gift to be used?
In order to use funds where they are needed most, we would prefer it if gifts weren’t restricted to a specific area of our work. If a supporter would really like to support a specific Memorial Fund or part of CRY’s work, we would suggest that this is written as a preference rather than a condition (your solicitor can help with this). This will ensure that we can still use your generous gift even if our services/demands change in the future.
Do I have enough money to leave a gift in my will?
We are grateful for every gift we receive, whether it is large or small. If you would like to leave a gift to us but are concerned about the size of your estate and how far it may stretch, we would recommend a ‘residuary’ legacy rather than a fixed ‘pecuniary’ amount. This represents a percentage of the remaining estate so you don’t have to worry if you have enough funds, unlike a pecuniary gift. This option will also ensure that the value of your gift is not reduced by inflation over time.
I have a family and want to ensure they come first
We completely understand that your family and friends come first. This information is provided as a guide in case you were considering leaving something to CRY, after you have ensured your loved ones will be taken care of.
I’ve left a gift to CRY in my will, but my circumstances have since changed. Can I change my mind?
A will is a very personal document that must reflect your final wishes, which is why you’re free to change your mind or change the way your estate is divided at any time. To amend your will, please speak to your solicitor and they can help remove/amend instructions in your will.
Can I recommend donations to CRY in lieu of flowers at my funeral?
Requesting donations to a preferred charity instead of flowers is a very generous way to ensure that your support continues after your death. We can provide support (including collection envelopes) and advice to help organise funeral donations. Many funeral directors are able to assist with this and can help set up an online donation site to help those who want to donate.
What should I do if I’m acting as an executor of a will that leaves a gift to CRY?
We very much appreciate the efforts of those who assist in the administration of our supporters’ estates. Please call the CRY office on 01737 363 222 if we can provide you with any assistance.
I have a question that hasn’t been answered
Please call the CRY office on 01737 363 222 or email [email protected] with your questions and the charity will be pleased to help you.
Legacies – a glossary of terms
Here is a helpful explanation of the legal terms involved in making a will:
– Administrator – Somebody who is appointed by law to settle your affairs if you die with no will.
– Beneficiary – anybody who receives something from a will.
– Bequest (Legacy) – a gift left in a will.
– Chattels – Personal property including furniture, furnishings, moveable goods and car.
– Clauses – Sections in your will that deal with different aspects of your estate that are combined to ensure your wishes are honoured.
– Codicil – an addition or amendment to an existing will.
– Conditional bequest – A gift that will only take effect if a certain event occurs.
– Estate – the total value of everything you own at your death, less any outstanding commitments.
– Executor – the person or people you choose to coordinate your will upon your death. They can be a relative, a friend or your solicitor.
– Grant of probate – A court document confirming the authority of an executor to administer the estate.
– Guardians – the people chosen by parents to look after their children in the event of their death.
– Intestacy – the name for the situation which arises when someone dies without making a Will.
– Inheritance Tax – a 40% tax deducted from estates with a value of more than £325,000. Money left to your spouse or a charity is not taxed. If your spouse pre-deceased you and did not use up their full inheritance tax free allowance, this will be added to your own at the rate prevailing upon your death.
– Legator/Legatrix – the person who has died and left a gift in their will.
– Life interest – A two stage legacy, where the first beneficiary is given the use of an asset (e.g. a house) during their lifetime. After their death, the asset passes to the second beneficiary.
– Mirror Wills – Mirror Wills are identical except that each leaves the same gifts to the other, and each names the other as executor. They are made in the same terms each to benefit the other, with or without other gifts and provisions. Either party can change their mind at any time and make a different will.
– Power of Attorney – A legal document which authorises one or more people to handle another person’s financial affairs (including property, shares, money, etc.), either in general or in relation to specific items.
– Probate – the legal process to establish whether your will is valid. If not, an administrator is appointed.
– Residue – The sum left from an estate when all debts, charges and pecuniary gifts are deducted.
– Testator/Testatrix – the person making the will.
– Trust – an arrangement you can make in your will to administer part of your assets after your death.
– Trustee – An individual appointed to look after any part of your estate for the benefit of others.
– Will – A legally binding document giving instructions about what to do with a person’s estate when they die.
– Witness – Somebody who signs your will in your presence, who must not be a beneficiary.
