You may have been told in the past (possibly more times than you would like) about how important it is to have a valid Will - and maybe you already have one. If you do not, it really is something you should consider. Nobody likes to think about the inevitable however can you answer the following questions accurately, and if not, do you need help planning your estate?

Why do you need a Will? Why have you chosen not to have a Will?

If you have an old Will, does it still reflect your wishes?

What is your inheritance tax liability upon death?

Have you provided for your family and could you afford to leave a gift to a charity in your Will?

What your Will contains is often how others will remember you. In your Will, you have the opportunity to transfer the values that are important to you and create a lasting memory. One of the best ways to achieve this is by leaving a charitable legacy.

A charitable gift can help fund The Ark Charity in the future, and ensure your family has the comfort of knowing you will help many vulnerable young people who are homeless and disadvantaged.

If you have not already made a Will, we recommend that you seek expert advice from a professional to ensure that all your wishes are met.

Leave a Legacy Appeal

We have just launched our Leave a Legacy Appeal. If you would like some more information about your Will and how you can help us, read through the section below or why not contact us for an informal chat.

Whilst The Ark Charity does not endorse particular firms or individuals, the following list of local firms of Solicitors may be of use -

- Joanna Addison, Ray Borley and Dunkley of 79 High Street, Stony Stratford MK11 1AU Tel: 01908 563232 or email joanna.addison@rayborleydunkley.co.uk

- Alistair Brooks, City Law Ltd of Witan Court, 305 Upper Forth Street, MK9 1EH Tel: 01908 676567 or email agb@citylawltd.co.uk

- Brian O'Reilly, MK Willwriters of7 Eveleyn Place, Bradville, MK13 7UG email: mkwillwriters@hotmail.co.uk

If you are a local solicitor and would like to support our Leave a Legacy appeal, we would love to hear from you. As a local charity we rely on local support so please contact us to discuss how we can work together.

Making a Will - more details

“Why do I need to make a Will?”

Contrary to popular belief, making a Will is the only way that you can ensure that your money, property and belongings (together referred to as your “estate”) pass to the people you wish after you pass away. Writing a Will may seem like an unnecessary and unpleasant task, however it is the primary way that you can make sure your loved ones are provided for after your death.

It is important to make a Will even if you have few possessions or if you are married. It is not enough to hope that people will know what you wanted to happen – the truth is that if you haven’t written your wishes down in a Will, they have no legal force.

In your Will, you can state who you wish to look after your children if you were to die - these are called Guardians and will be the people who bring up your children if you are not able to. If you do not include this in your Will, the Courts could end up making the decision instead.

If you feel a Will is unnecessary because you do not have many assets, remember that you may be worth more than you think - what if you were to pass away in an accident, or as a result of someone else’s negligence? Your estate could then be much larger due to compensation, and you would of course want to ensure it passed to your chosen beneficiaries. The only way to guarantee this is by writing a Will.

A Will also allows you to note down your funeral wishes and is therefore one of the most personal things you will ever write. It is not something that anyone else can do for you.

A Will is your way to change the way that the law would otherwise affect you and your family—your last way to have a say in your own affairs.

“What is a legacy?”

“Why would I leave a gift to charity in my Will?”

A ‘legacy’ is the name for a gift in your Will.

It literally is your legacy because it could make a real difference to the lives of others. If you leave a gift to a charity, your legacy may live on and on.

The benefits are not just to the lucky recipient of the legacy - all gifts to charities are exempt from Inheritance Tax. Therefore, if your total estate is in excess of the nil rate band available to you, a gift to a charity may save you from paying tax. Effective planning is the only way to ensure that your estate does not incur large tax bills, so include a gift in your Will if this is important to you.

Donating to charity may be on your “to do” list but we understand that not everyone can afford to make regular gifts during their lifetime. Once you have provided for your loved ones in your Will, however, you may be able to afford to make a small gift to charity. There are several types of legacy you could consider:

• A ‘pecuniary’ or specific gift of a fixed sum of money.
  
  
• A gift of ‘chattels’ such as a piece of jewellery, a painting or other item of property.
  
  
• A residuary gift - of a percentage of your estate. This could be ‘contingent’ - such as a gift to a charity which applies only if other beneficiaries named in the Will die before you.

We always recommend that you seek professional advice from a solicitor before writing or signing a Will. If you would like to discuss this subject in confidence, please contact us

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