Leaving Money to a
Charity in a Will
What are legacies?
A bequest from a donor's will is one of the more traditional forms of giving to charity and remains a very important one.
There are two main types of legacies:
Residuary bequests This means that once family and loved ones have been provided for, the remainder or a proportion of the deceased's estate is pledged to one or more charities.
Pecuniary bequests This means that the deceased pledges a specific sum of money to a particular charity.
How do they work?
Charitable legacies reduce the total amount of inheritance tax due from the estate. Legacies are left through the donor's will or simply by a declaration to the executors with instructions as to how and to which charity a legacy is to be distributed.
Remember a Charity
The success of the sector-wide Remember A Charity campaign now means that awareness of legacies has never been higher. Legacies are one of the most cost-effective fundraising techniques and raise millions of pounds for national charities. Many more charities could be raising money in this way. Use this opportunity to start an income stream that has the potential to grow exponentially.
Free Downloads
In order to realise the potential of legacies, it is vital to communicate it's benefits to your donors, and build awareness within your organisation. Below are a number of downloads that will help you get the message out about legacies.
Legacy Case Study Find out how one smaller charity has succeeded in increasing their income through legacies..
Press Release Find out how one smaller charity has succeeded in increasing their income through legacies.
Jargon Buster Demystify legacies with this useful Jargon Buster.