Legacy Giving in aid of VSA

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Legacy Giving in aid of VSA

A gift in your will to VSA provides vital care and support to vulnerable children and adults

CH A NGI N G L I V E S O F V U L N E R A B L E CH I L D R EN AN D AD U LT S F O R O V E R 150 Y EA RS As a leading social care charity with over 150 years of experience, we have always been at the forefront of providing vital care and support to vulnerable children and adults living across Aberdeen and beyond. We support people through some of the most challenging times they have ever experienced, and we help them take control of their lives for a brighter and better future.

Every day we change lives by supporting a person's physical, emotional, mental, and social well-being through a wide range of health and social care services, such as residential services and community outreach programmes.

We support vulnerable children and adults who are living with: • Mental health diagnosis • Learning disabilities • Loneliness and isolation • Living with life-long conditions such as dementia and Parkinson's • Complex additional learning and additional support needs • People who are in recovery from addiction • Living in extreme poverty (including fuel poverty) Despite the tremendous challenges that a child or an adult can face, it is amazing to see that by providing proper support, care, experiences and opportunities how much it can change a life.

Across all of the services we provide, we promote equality, inclusion, diversity and support for BAME communities.

The most powerful gift you can give is one that has the ability to change the lives of vulnerable children and adults. To know that your kindness will live on and continue to help people is a timeless legacy.

Every year, we are incredibly humbled that people very generously leave gifts to VSA to enable us to continue our work of changing local people’s lives.

We are very grateful for any gift we receive and all donations will help us continue to provide: physical, emotional, social, and mental wellbeing support through our residential or outreach support services.

View Maureen’s Story at vsa .org.uk

VSA has changed my whole family’s life and my mum’s life, because it’s just gave her a whole new lease of life.

I just think that I don’t have to worry about my mum at all.

L EAVI N G A G I F T I N Y O U R W I L L T O V S A I S E AS Y. . .

Note our charity name, address and registered number Our official name and address is: • Aberdeen Association of Social Services (otherwise known as VSA) • 38 Castle Street, Aberdeen, AB11 5YU Registered charity number is: SC012950

Find a solicitor or professional Will writer to write your Will

Provide your solicitor or Will writer with details of the gift and whether or not you would like this restricted for a specific VSA service

VSA provide over 25 services...

Read more about how VSA change the lives of vulnerable adults and children at vsa.org.uk

WHAT A R E T H E WAYS C AN I L E AV E A GI FT TO V S A IN MY W ILL ?

There are three different ways you can leave a gift to VSA: Residuary gift This means you can leave a percentage or share of your estate. For example, you could leave 12% or 1/6 of your total wealth.

Pecuniary gift This means a lump sum. You might choose to leave a fixed amount of money to VSA, such as £100, £1,000, or £10,000.

Specific gift This means you leave a specified item of value in your Will. For example, you might leave antiques, jewellery, or shares to us.

I H AV E A N E X ISTIN G W IL L , HO W DO I IN C L U DE V SA IN IT? If you want to leave a gift to VSA but you’ve already made a Will, then there is a couple of ways you can change it.

Write a new Will The simplest way is to write a new Will. Once written, any Wills made by that person in the past become void. In fact, most Wills will start by reciting that you’re writing a Will and that you’re revoking previous Wills.

Codicils The other way is to write a codicil, which is a document used to make changes to an existing Will.

It’s used as a way to make simple amendments like adding a charity, changing a gift amount or adding an executor. This is all quite straightforward but problems can occur if you ever want to cancel the Will in the future.

When you cancel a Will that contains a codicil, the codicil does not get cancelled automatically, so when you write a new Will it can create inconsistencies and legal problems. To avoid this, make sure that any new Will clearly states that you are revoking all Wills and codicils previously made.

D OE S E V E RY O N E H AV E TO PAY IN HER ITANCE TAX? This will depend on the value of your estate. Everyone is eligible for Inheritance Tax (IHT), but there are a few situations in which your estate might not have to pay it. We would always recommend you read the latest guidance on IHT from HMRC: https://www.gov.uk/inheritance-tax Generally speaking, you won’t have to pay IHT if: The value of your estate – that’s the combined value of all your money, property, and possessions – is less than £325,000.

You leave your entire estate to your spouse or civil partner, a charity or a community amateur sports club.

Gifts you give in your lifetime are exempt from IHT, subject to some limits, as long as you continue to live for at least 7 years after you’ve given the gift. If you die sooner than this, IHT may be payable.

You will have to pay some IHT if: You leave part or all of your estate to your children – including adopted children, foster children or stepchildren – and grandchildren. However, the tax-free threshold rises and in addition to the nil-rate band of £325,000, a residence nil rate band may also be available at the rate in effect at the date of death if the main residence is left to lineal descendants i.e. children or grandchildren.

Or you may have to pay IHT if you decide to leave gifts in your Will to any other relatives, friends or non-charitable organisations.

H OW M U C H IS IN H E RITAN C E TAX ( IHT )?

Anything above your tax-free threshold is currently taxed at 40% - this means that beneficiaries of your estate will receive £6,000 for every £10,000 over the threshold your estate is worth. Anything you leave to a spouse or civil partner, charity or community amateur sports club isn’t included in this threshold, and as mentioned above, the threshold is higher when you’re leaving money, property or possessions to children or grandchildren.

The rate, tax-free thresholds and other rules around IHT change from time to time, and we strongly recommend you visit the official Government page on IHT for full details.

View Kai’s Story at vsa .org.uk He is smashing boundaries all the time now we couldn’t believe we were looking at the same boy. He is so happy within himself and so content we are so grateful to VSA.

what will your legacy be?

Contact our Legacy Team today to help us change lives

legacy@vsa.org.uk

vsa.org.uk search: legacy

Registered in Scotland as Aberdeen Association of Social Service operating as VSA Company Registration Number SC018487; Registered Charity Number SC012950. Head Office: 38 Castle Street, Aberdeen AB11 5YU.