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By leaving a gift in your Will you are helping us continue our work raising awareness about cancer in the community. By thinking of us you will also be enhancing services and support for those impacted by cancer – both during and after treatment.
If you don’t have a Will in place you are potentially doing a disservice to your loved ones. Navigating the storms of grief is difficult enough without having the additional stresses of having to deal with your estate, which without a Will, will ultimately fall under the strict rules of intestacy meaning that your assets may not be distributed as you would have wished.
Writing a Will is the only way to ensure you leave the legacy you want. If you have a large estate, your family might face overwhelming legal issues which they may be unprepared for if you leave no Will. In the ideal scenario, your Will outlines how your chosen executor should distribute your belongings. This leaves your family and friends the space to deal with other more immediate issues, including grief. Disputes can more easily crop up between family members if there is no Will to help them with the distribution of your assets. Many of these disputes leave bad feelings that have the potential to remain permanently. Prevent this from happening by clearly laying out your wishes in your Will. Say who gets what and when.
and name the loved ones you want to benefit. If you want to leave something to those that would usually fall outside of intestacy rules, a Will is essential. it is also your chance to make it clear who you want to act as the executors of your estate after you’re gone. Making this clear can minimise confusion and ensure the people who you trust are those in control following your death.
f you have children who are still dependent on you, a Will means you can name a guardian. It isn’t enough to make verbal agreements with family members or godparents, putting it down in writing ensures clarity. It tells the court exactly who you would wish to look after your minor children after your death. You can also use a Will to make financial arrangements for your children should the worst happen. Contemplating leaving your children behind while they’re still young isn’t something any parent wants to do. But it can help to secure the future of your children should you pass away before they reach adulthood. It also cuts out on any potential legal disputes that could follow and ensures that it is you who make the decision as to who will look after your children whilst they are still minors, and not the Courts’ decision.
A Will should clearly state your wishes, reducing the chances of a dispute being made and upheld. It’s not always possible to guess where disputes will come from, but you can exclude people in your Will Should you have a strained relationship with someone who would normally inherit. If this is a course that you would be considering it is always sensible to have your reasons for exclusion written in your own handwriting and stored with your Will for the avoidance of any doubt.
At a time when they’re already grieving, organising your estate and deciding what you would want can be stressful for loved ones. Should you die intestate, it’s likely the inheritance process will be significantly longer and cost more too. There is a misconception about the cost of writing a Will, but they are generally affordable and it could be far cheaper in the long run than not having one. There are also many free Will events where participating solicitors waive their fee for writing a basic Will, but instead they invite their clients to make a voluntary donation to charity.
Your Will allows you to make specific gifts and/or charitable bequests. It’s a way of ensuring that your possessions end up in the hands of those you want to have them. If you have sentimental items that you would like to pass on to grandchildren, for example, you can make these wishes known.
Writing your Will in the context of wider financial planning means you could reduce the amount of IHT paid on your estate. With the right plan, you can avoid paying all or some of the IHT that your estate would be liable for, so you pass more on to those you care about.
If you’ve been a lifelong supporter of a charity or want to leave a charitable legacy, donating some of your assets can be appealing. You can leave either a portion of your estate, a defined sum or certain items to charitable causes that are close to your heart. Donating to charity can also reduce your IHT bill, supporting the above point.
Writing your own Will might seem like a good way to ensure matters unfold exactly as you wish after you die, but it can actually trigger legal disputes that go on for months or even years following your death. A Will that hasn’t been updated for some time can also cause similar problems if it doesn’t reflect the position of both you and your family at the time of your passing.
When you are thinking about your wealth and assets, a Will should form part of the process. Your aspirations for your estate after you have passed away can help create a financial plan that reflects your goals, both in the short and long term.
It is only right that you want to remember your loved ones in your Will, but you may also wish to consider leaving money to charity.
People may have different reasons for leaving a gift to charity in their Will – it could be a way to say thank you for funding equipment or services that support the excellent treatment our patients need. It could be that the donor admires the work of our cancer charity, or it could even be the result of a positive experience when talking to a volunteer or member of staff. Whatever their motivation, we are extremely grateful for any gift left to us.
You will need the full details of the charity to ensure that your wishes are carried out accurately.
These are:
Charity Name: Lingen Davies Cancer Fund
Registered Charity Number: 1160922
Registered Office: Fundraising Office, Hamar Centre, Royal Shrewsbury Hospital, Mytton Oak Road, Shrewsbury, SY3 8XQ
You can make an amendment to an existing Will by adding a codicil. Please seek advice from a solicitor to ensure that the wording is correct. By adding this supplement to your declaration, you can include new instructions and delete old ones without having to revoke the whole Will.
By remembering Lingen Davies Cancer Fund in your Will, no matter how small the gift, you will make a difference to the wider community, raising cancer awareness, generating cancer relief, and benefitting cancer patients throughout Shropshire, Telford and Mid Wales.
If you would like to discuss how to leave a gift to Lingen Davies Cancer Fund, please contact Helen Knight, Head of Fundraising, on 01743 492396 or email [email protected]
What about my family, what will they do?
It is only right for you to think of your family and loved ones first and ensure their comfort and security. If you do choose to leave a gift to Lingen Davies Cancer Fund in your Will we encourage you to talk to your family about your wishes and how you would like your money to be spent. It may well be that in the future your family actively seek to get involved with the charity to find out more about where your money is being spent. We can support you throughout the whole process.
Will people find out about my Will?
Your Will is very personal and your privacy will always be respected; we will never ask you for details. If you choose to share these with us, they will of course be treated with the utmost privacy and confidence. We will never publicise details about your legacy unless specifically asked to do so.
How do I begin leaving money in Will?
If you would like to leave money to charity in your Will we advise you to seek advice from a solicitor, both before writing or amending your existing Will. This ensures all legal formalities are carried out correctly and that the Will is legal and witnessed.
What if I change my mind?
It’s OK to change your mind, we appreciate that personal circumstances change and that you may wish to change your mind about a legacy request.
Can I say how I want my money spending?
Your wishes are very important to us and we will, whenever possible, respect your wishes on how your gift is spent.
