Legacies form an important source of income to the Trust for Africa's Orphans. By leaving a legacy you will not only be helping us in our essential work in Africa but you can also help your friends and relatives avoid a large inheritance tax bill. Legacies left to U.K. registered charities are tax-free. This means that by remembering the TAO in your will, you will be passing on the maximum benefits of your estate to friends and family.
In order to leave a legacy to Trust for Africa's Orphans you will need to have a will prepared. If you already have a will then this could be amended to include the legacy or, alternatively, an additional codicil document could be prepared dealing specifically with the legacy. To prepare a will or codicil we recommend you contact a solicitor. Advice on solicitors in the United Kingdom can be obtained from the Law Society (on + 44 (0) 207 242 1222) or your local Citizens Advice Bureau or library.
There are different types of legacies that can be provided for in a will or codicil and these include:
A pecuniary legacy: This is a gift of a fixed sum of money. There is no minimum amount that can be left but it is often wise to ensure monetary legacies are specified as index linked gifts to account for inflation.
A residuary legacy: This is a gift of the whole or a share of whatever remains of your estate after all other gifts have been distributed and all debts paid.
A specific legacy: This is a specific item such as a house, piece of jewellery or a painting.
Suggested Legacy Wording
If you would like to leave a legacy to Trust for Africa's Orphans your solicitor might find the following suggested wording useful in preparing your will or codicil.
For a pecuniary legacy
"I give free of tax to Trust for Africa's Orphans of P.O. Box 227, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, KT12, 4YF, UK (registered charity number 1069208 and registered charity name UWESO UK Trust), the sum of _________ (£ ) for Trust for Africa's Orphans' general charitable purposes. I direct that the receipt of the Treasurer or other duly authorised officer of Trust for Africa's Orphans shall be sufficient discharge to my executors."
For a residuary legacy
"I give _________ (state all or the percentage or fraction of the residue of the estate that you wish to give) of the residue of my estate absolutely to Trust for Africa's Orphans of P.O. Box 227, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, KT12, 4YF, UK (registered charity number 1069208 and registered charity name UWESO UK Trust), for Trust for Africa's Orphans' general charitable purposes. I direct that the receipt of the Treasurer or other duly authorised officer of Trust for Africa's Orphans shall be sufficient discharge to my executors."
For a specific legacy
"I give free of tax to Trust for Africa's Orphans of P.O. Box 227, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, KT12, 4YF, UK (registered charity number 1069208 and registered charity name UWESO UK Trust), my _________ (add a description of what you want to leave) for Trust for Africa's Orphans' general charitable purposes. I direct that the receipt of the Treasurer or other duly authorised officer of Trust for Africa's Orphans shall be sufficient discharge to my executors."
In Memoriam Donations
In memoriam donations are donations given instead of flowers at funerals. Many people direct in their wills that they would rather have donations made to specific causes and charities instead of flowers. You may wish to consider adding such a provision to your will or codicil nominating Trust for Africa's Orphans' as your preferred recipient of such donations.
The above information on legacies is intended as general advice only and we recommend that you discuss these points with a solicitor if you would like to leave a legacy to Trust for Africa's Orphans.