Retirement-Today, Autumn issue 2021

Page 21

CHARITY BEGINS AT CHRISTMAS By Mike Francis

T

LEAVE A LEGACY IN YOUR WILL

For a more lasting donation to your favourite charity you may like to consider including a legacy to a charity in your will.The surprising fact is that only 4 per cent of will makers make provision for a specific charity in their will. I have made 2 charitable bequests in my will which have given me the satisfaction of providing for charities who have given me much needed support in my lifetime. If you have already made a will it is easy to add a specific legacy you wish to make by contacting the solicitor who drew up the will in the first place. If you are one of the 60 per cent entitled to make a will but haven’t yet got round to it there’s no time like the present. Get hold of a solicitor approved by the Law Society draw up a will and make sure your charitable bequests are included.

WHAT CAN A LEGACY BE

A legacy can be anything you want it to be. It doesn’t have to be money. It could be a rare antique, an opulent house, a prize collection of porcelain, a car, furniture, your piano. It’s up to you to choose what you would like to give and to whom Once you made a legacy you will have the pleasure of knowing that the charity of your choice will subsequently benefit from your kind thought.

At the last count there were 170,000 charities in the UK, some new, others well established, all fighting for attention. All competing for a contribution from the public’s tightly stretched purse. You may decide to give a legacy to a favourite charity you have been concerned with and have supported during your lifetime. It’s very important to be specific as some charities have similar names. You need to avoid mistaken identity. The name, address and charity number should be correct otherwise the donation could be invalid. All charities work earnestly for good causes. Giving support where needed, often working under extreme financial pressure. some get no government grant others rely on legacies to provide a major part of their income. So your gift could be RETIREMENT

today

Charity begins at Christmastime

YOUR FAVOURITE CHARITY

he unforgiving nature of the coronavirus epidemic for almost 2 years has seriously affected charities who depend on a steady income to fund their good works. As Christmas approaches this is a suitable moment to consider which avenues are available to benefit struggling charities in their hour of greatest need.

21


Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.