if you don’t have children, who / what are you leaving your assets to in your will ?

[workwoes123]

DH and I have two children, first / only marriage for each of us. Our wills are very simple mirror wills leaving everything to each other in the first instance, then to be shared equally between our children.

If you and your partner (if you have one) don’t have children, who or what are you leaving your assets to ?

I’m mostly asking out of nosiness (as this is an anonymous forum) but also as we have this situation in our family and I’m interested what other people have done.

I thoroughly support a regular revisiting of a will.

My last will left everything to DH then failing that to my Dcs and a god son (with about 10%) to a godson. It's a fairly considerable estate, so 10% would buy a modest house in a not very popular area, but even so.

Since then I discovered that father of godson had made me godmother 'because of the presents' (said in vino veritas).

Not quite yet changed the will but will indeed be doing so. Not least because one of my Dcs is quite significantly disabled and will need support for the rest of his life. Why I originally thought it would be good to divert even a pound away from my own children was a good idea I have no idea.

Thank you
Not something I can afford atm but will look into it for the future.

@Dougieowner also thank you.
I just want to leave everything to a dog charity. I have no dependents who might think they have claim on my (minimal) estate.

A further thought: can the state be your executor if you have no one to appoint?

@Zoeslatesttrope

i don’t think you can make a will without appointing an executor. If you don’t have family or friends to appoint, then a solicitor can do it but their fees will be paid from the estate. Depending on the size of the estate / complexity of the will / hourly rate of the solicitor, this could be quite significant. This would be agreed in advance and recorded in the will.

In that case as a pp recommended do check out the 'Free will month'. My firm did not participate in this but how I believe it works is that a charity you nominate will actually pay for the will for you, but the hope (expectation) is that you will leave something to them as well. Many law firms participate in it, and as long as your will is not outrageously complicated it works for everyone. The law firm gets paid. The charity gets something eventually and you get a valid will. You will never see the bill it is just sent to the charity.

Oh! Just saw this. Then see if your dog charity participates in free will month., If they are a small charity they may not but certainly worth looking at.

You don't have to nominate a charity in free will month, and you don't have to pay for the will, it's free.

Not sure how you think the lawyers get paid - they don't, that's the point. They give their time free. And they discuss charity bequests, but they don't force you to make one. And they suggest a fee you might like to donate to them, but you don't have to.

However, it's really hard to get an appointment because most places only give a few slots so you have to be on the ball as soon as the slots are open.

Well like I said my firm does not do free will month but my elderly neighbour got one done via Age UK.

www.ageuk.org.uk/get-involved/donate/leave-legacy/free-wills-month/

It says that Free will month covers the cost of simple willas ans if it is more complicated the solicitor may ask the will maker to cover the extra costs themselves. It is a partnership between a charity and the solicitor and yes the solicitors do get their costs covered. My firm does not do it because we have only 2 probate lawyers and they are run off their feet as it is.

No, but if you don't appoint someone the state will appoint an administrator. The state doesn't do it itself.

They might get their costs covered (though the link doesn't say that) but they don't get paid "by the charity" because there's no compulsion to nominate a charity.

And if there was and if the solicitor got paid by that charity, that would be a very clear conflict if interest for the solicitor and reportable to the regulation authority.

Free wills month is great. Telling people they have to nominate a charity and that the charity pays the solicitor is likely to put people off using it.

Here you go:

www.guidedogs.org.uk/guide-dogs-free-wills/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwjIKYBhC6ARIsAGEds-Jisvj-3rbXEohG3ro-W51hjLQ2FjmYP4Y82T8sQPl_su7AzlFKI5oaAh9dEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

My DBro/SIL say they are leaving anything split equally between their 5 nieces/nephews and 1 godson. But they also, quite rightly, plan to enjoy spending as much as possible before they go!

Me and DH have no children. He does not see or speak to any of his family. I have 2 siblings who I get on well with but they are both much better off than us so no point in leaving money to them.

We have 2 nieces and 2 nephews but they will be inheriting from their parents.

We have left some money to a friend to take care of our dogs. The rest is split between 6 charities, animal ones and homeless ones

I’m the same.

Both are in their 70’s. One child free sister and I’m childfree myself. I will probably leave some to my parents while they’re still alive and the rest to my sister.

I don’t really have a charity I donate to regularly.

When I had no assets not having a will didn’t matter so much but I now have a decent amount of equity in my house and a pension lump sum so really need to get around to organising it.

Having worked with large charities for many years, I’d think very carefully before leaving a legacy, tbh.

I was just thinking this, I have heard some horror stories about how some charities 'go after' their bequests in quite ruthless ways. Some of the larger charities have whole legal teams whose only job is to search wills online for bequests, challenge wills etc. I understand it's a valuable income source for them, but at a time when family members may be grieving, they are apparently not easy to deal with. Don't forget they are a business.

I read about one man who left his entire estate to a charity, so they auctioned off pretty much everything he owned to get the highest price. His sons asked for a few personal items such as watches etc, as they were sentimental, and were told to bid on them like everyone else! I understand the man should have left instructions if he wanted his sons to have these items, but it seems so cold hearted when people are grieving.

I plan to leave a letter of wishes to family members asking to donate to my favourite charities on my behalf, or I will donate regularly while I'm alive.

In the first instance everything goes to my husband but should we die together (car accident or similar) worldwide assests will be split across our nieces and nephews equally.
Uk property and assets should be relatively straight forward but Good luck to all seven of the them trying to navigate the Spanish authorities when trying to sort out our Spanish property and bank account.

I agree with comments about leaving to charity. My fil left a bequest and the charity kept badgering my dh (the executor) about when they would get their money. My dh had no control over probate and hmrc (there was inheritance tax due) so couldn't answer. The phone calls were just irritating and inappropriate.

I will not leave anything to charity after that experience.

Depends when I die. If tomorrow, then between my DP and mum. If when I'm old, then my goal is to live a good life and not to leave too much money behind 😂Probably relatives like nieces/nephews or whoever is close to me at that point in my life.

@VanGoghsDog and @SummerLobelia thanks so much, I will look into it.

Thank you also @Chocchops72 sorry I didn't see your post before.

Why? Is it because they waste money?

My will leaves £10kto my DB and then everything to DH. If DH dies first after the £10K bequest all goes to my DS - if he is under 25 it is in trust.

I have been a beneficiary on 4 occasions : once whenDM died, once when my Aunt died and I received my Mums share as she had predeceased my Aunt, once when an Uncle died intestate and once as an Executor of an Aunts will.

Having been "chased" and "bothered" by charities when I was Executor I will not be leaving my estate to any major charities - they were very ruthless in their dealings IME.

@BeaLola, does a private executor benefit from the will - or is it only if specifically appointed as a beneficiary?

Not made a will, dragging my feet as disabled DC couldn't deal with any inheritance and none of family ever showed a slightest interest in ours (those who did have died).

I have been hoping (for years) to get close enough with family or friends or even support some young people in need but this never happened.

I will probably leave something to good but distant friend and her children and a couple of local charities working with dc.

I expect a lot will go on care homes before that, but if I don't get around doing the will, it might just be that there will be a vicious scramble after I have gone - at least they will have to work for it then.