If you’re child free, who are you planning to leave everything to?

[TeapotCollection]

We’re early 50s and think we should write our Wills. We’ve got family but, to put it bluntly, no one who we want to have everything we’re working hard for. There probably won’t be a lot of cash because we’re going to spend it 😃 but very likely to be a property worth at least 200k (todays prices). We did think about selling our property to one those equity release companies but I was strongly advised against this on here

If we divide it between charities will the cost of processing the Will be horrendous?

Another thing is that we know certain family members will be expecting us to split everything between our nieces and nephews. Tough shit?

Going away for a couple of nights in a few hours so apologies in advance for being quiet over the weekend

That's absolutely lovely. Brought a tear to my eye.

There are some great small charities who score well on ethics and low admin fees. My current favourites are The Against Malaria Foundation and The Fistula Foundation. The first because of how many deaths preventable malaria causes, mainly in children. The second is even better because it supports women, and therefore children. It trains HCPs in Africa rather than importing and exporting excellence. We we often donate to Lumos because JKR also donates a lot so it's not all eaten by admin.

@TeapotCollection ah well if you don't know your nieces and nephews, I think it's fair enough and surely they won't be "expecting" anything anyway!?

With my relative who is leaving everything to my cousin, she is very close to all her nieces and nephews. I get on better with her than my own mother tbh. She has already told us all her plans and asked what we think about it, so there will be no surprises.

Don't feel guilty or worry about what people will think. It's yours to do with as you see fit.

I'm leaving nothing to family or friends of my generation but will leave small bequests to friends' kids and other youngsters I know and love. The rest will go to charity, mainly charities for young people leaving care. I like the idea of helping funds that are in place of "the bank of mum and dad" for people without parental support.

Before we had a child, our wills split everything between 3 sets of friends. I specifically excluded my family (my DH family will likely predecease him) and wrote a letter of wishes saying why to make any potential contestation easier to deal with. It wasn’t bitchy, just matter of fact.

Through my job I saw what charities do to get their share of wills. Put me off leaving anything to any of them. I guess it depends who you end up leaving it to and how easy you want it to be for them. You could just spend as much as possible, die intestate and your family will have to sort what’s left.

A local dog rescue, where i know it would make a huge difference. I do have nephews and nieces but I barely have any contact with them and they can't even seem to say thank you for a Christmas present, so no chance will they be inheriting my hard earned money!

We're just in the process of doing new wills following a change of circumstances. We do have one DC but we've also considered who to leave our money to in the event that DC predeceases us and doesn't have any children. We decided to split equally between nieces and nephews even though we hardly see them (no fallout - just geography). DH and I are both youngest of our siblings so thought nominating our older siblings was probably pointless plus I suspect the niblings might need it more - although I'm not planning on going anywhere for a couple of decades at least!

You could just spend as much as possible, die intestate and your family will have to sort what’s left.

Please please don't do this. Please. I work in housing and we are often the first people to have to deal with a death. Without a Will things are distressing and complicated. Making a lot of emotional and admin work for people who could really do without it.

@MrsTerryPratchett - that’s why I said it depends how easy OP wanted to make it for the people who would be sorting it. I have also dealt with intestate estates and it’s normally just an extra step of getting an administrator approved. It’s not the end of the world really, estates are a headache will or no will.

Selling the house, renting and spunking the cash on having fun.
Anything that's left will go to my best friend's little boy (rather than my nephew who I never see) because he has hardly any family and will never inherit much otherwise

I have left my estate to be divided equally between my DNs. If any predecease me then their share either goes to their children (only one child so far) or if no children then their share is split amongst the surviving DNs.

I occasionally give them cash amounts within HMRC rules as I am aware that if I need a care home there could be very little left and I want them to have something.

I also want to bring down the value of my estate so that inheritance tax, if it comes to that, can be avoided as much as possible.

Are ALL of your nieces and nephews truly terrible people then?

I can't imagine not leaving my money to my nieces and nephews in your situation. Yes, there are things they do that I don't agree with, and they can be a bit thoughtless and selfish (like my own DC) but they are good people really, they could definitely use some financial support, and they are family.

As it happens I do have my own DC, but if I didn't their cousins would get our money.

Charities if there is anything as we may do equity release, the nephews are adults and settled.

I had a childless relative who gave a 6 figure sum to charity.

It has caused some family resentment tbh.

Half will be split between DH's children and the other half between my godchildren. There won't be much by the time we've had holidays and probably paid for care though!

Our flat also has a very short lease. It'll see us out but they'll have to sort that out as well

No effort is ever made on my brother's part for us to have a relationship, I don't know the kid.
Plus (same father, different mothers) my brother has a legacy I don't. My nephew will not go without.
I'd maybe feel differently if I had a relationship with my DN, but I'm so much closer to my friend's boy

Except I've received threats (multiple) from someone who thought they should be given access to a flat and weren't. Often pets are subject to infighting and that's an urgent matter.

Sadly that happens with or without a will in my experience.

My childless single aunt spent the last few months in a hospice redrafting her will multiple times.
It became stupidly complicated with multiple bequests every where. The millionaire stepniece who flow in got an unnecessary large amount which embarrassed her and set up ill feeling with her step sisters. My parents ended up with all the admin and stress but no money. Big charities added to the probate stress.
I was pregnant with a toddler, we spent the £5k left to the toddler but not me on literally the roof over our heads.
The bequest has been a source of guilt every since. DH & I now have enough to find both our kids through uni. We never talk about the aunt.

Sibling, niece and a cat charity

Why? It was hers to do what she wanted with. If she’d had children none of the rest of the family would likely have got anything either.

Pre children our estate would have been split 3 ways if we both died. One third to each of DH's two siblings, the other third would be split between my niece & nephew.

Why did it cause resentment?

I'd donate mine to Beira's Place. It's not a charity, but if I'm donating money to a cause then it's this one!

There’s a good chance there will be little left after care home fees for one or both of you.

I might change my will so that some of the money going to my godchildren goes to whoever takes on my cat if I have one at the time.