Recent analysis from the organisation, Remember a Charity, and the law firm, Smee & Ford, has revealed that more and more people are deciding to name a charity in their will.
Religious charities were the most popular (18%), followed by culture & heritage (12%), community (10%) and educational causes (7%).
The research found that the number of charities named in wills rose by 10% in the last year.
Mark Pincher of Smee & Ford said: “Considering the whole charitable population totalling over 180,000 organisations in the UK, it is true that there is a small group which attracts the majority of bequests. However, our research shows that annually there are up to ten thousand charities mentioned in wills which is much broader than we initially perceived.
“Of the 19,000 organisations we have identified since 2012, nearly half (49%) have only been mentioned once, meaning that around 9,500 organisations have been mentioned twice or more. It is certainly positive to see the number of charities supported increasing by 10% in 2015.”
Writing a Will
Although the number of charities being named in wills is on the rise, the numbers of people writing a will is not. It is estimated that as many as one in three people in the UK die without writing a will. When someone dies without making a will, they are described as dying intestate. In general, the wealthier a person is, the more likely they are to have a valid will in place.
However, wills are not only for the wealthy and no matter the size of the estate, there are many benefits attached to having a will. Writing a will not only allows you to leave money to a charity of your choice – that could be an animal charity or cause that was very close to your heart – it also allows you to state what you want to happen to your money, property and personal possessions.
Writing a will can also save your loved ones a lot of heartache and stress. When a valid will is in place, an estate can usually be wound up quickly and beneficiaries can be paid.
Conversely, when there is not a will in place, families can be uncertain over who will be entitled to what. At such a difficult time and stressful time it is not uncommon for families to fight over who will inherit from their relative’s estate.
Family Law Liverpool
You can help to avoid these problems by arranging for a valid will be drafted by a solicitor. Contact Family Law Liverpool today to find out how we can help you. You can call us or complete our online enquiry form.