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

Well it depends doesn't it. I had a relative who told everyone, constantly, who she was leaving what to. It was designed to control and compel. I actually stopped seeing her because I thought it was the easiest way to signal that I wasn't interested in her money. I'd rather not play.

She ended up leaving it to none of the people she was manipulating. Didn't bother me but some of them had been involved in care and yes they felt manipulated. Which of course they were.

If you leave to a charity, consider not restricting to specific thing ( ie must be spent on new therapy room). The problem is that by the time you die this may no longer be relevant and so the money can’t be spent. I have a relative whose whole job involved trying to unravel spending restrictions on legacies.

Be careful what charities you choose.
So many are really ruthless.

I’m leaving nothing to charity. I do two standing orders a month for charity now and am happy with that.

Yes I've heard that larger charities especially can be brutal when trying to get their hands on a bequest. I would be wary of leaving much to them - but I like the idea of leaving a specific amount to a small local charity. The rest will be to my two nephews, unless they turn into arseholes in the next few decades.

We have a childless uncle who was always very generous over the years, so I would like to pass on the favour and already give large money gifts for birthdays and Christmas.
Also their father and his family aren't in their lives so they won't get anything from that side of the family.

Realistically I won't have much to leave.

My Aunt and Uncle are child free, and they have changed their will recently - their great niblings (5 of them) will inherit from them in an even split. They felt it was more appropriate for their money to go to their great nieces and nephews (currently aged 2 - 9) who would benefit in the longer term.

Our wills leave a sum to a couple of local charities, £500 is a drop in the ocean for some charities, but for others it's a huge amount.

No kids, single and have written a will to leave everything to my 4 siblings. Nothing to my parents. If siblings want to give it to their kids, fine by me but I'll pass it to them first.

It will all go to the surviving spouse and then my house will go to my sisters' kids. DH's house will go to his sisters' kids. ANy money left will be split between them all.

I'm planning on spending as much of it as possible, but should I have a quick unexpected exit (I have a couple of semi-dangerous pastimes) I've split it equally between:
Godchildren
Niece
The hospice that looked after my parents
Epilepsy research - my sibling died after a seizure
Mountain rescue

A family member left me £15000 completely unexpectedly. I used it to travel to places that I wouldn't have previously considered or been able to afford and it changed my whole outlook on life.

Before we had the DCs we were going to leave about 80% to relatives (mainly my DNs who are the closest of the next generation down), and 20% to charity.

I think i'd leave stuff to the RNLI in this situation.

Anyone thinking of leaving money to charity, please make sure it is unrestricted (i.e.) not left for one specific purpose. I know many churches for example who have giant pots of money for "maintaining the church organ" but no money to fix their roof!

I suppose the fact that family members aren't left anything should show them they could have been better relatives.

I would second what a pp said about % splits and charities. As a trainee solicitor I was involved in the administration of estates of elderly people who had died leaving everything to various national charities. If there is any decent amount of money to fight over, they will fight aggressively over it. It then all gets spent on the litigation costs.

My niece and nephew. Or my mum if I predecease her, possibly.

I will leave it to the small charity that I run because I know we do brilliant work and will make great use of the funds.

We’re not close to nieces & nephews, Sid rather leave it to charities I care about.

Decent nest eggs to stepchildren, godchildren, and niece, then a lump sum to a couple of local hospice/animal rescue charities.

I once chatted to a dog owner who was in charge of the breed rescue for the area; a childless dog enthusiast had bequeathed her house to the rescue decades ago, and the sum, invested by a shrewd treasurer, had helped countless dogs to be rehomed over the years. I'd like to do something like that.

If we didn't have DCs I'd leave everything to child mental health and animal conservation charities. None to relatives who we're not close to and have plenty of their own wealth.

We are going to make provision in our will for this anyway in case me DH and DCs all die together in a car accident or similar.

I’m dividing it between two charities I support. They are small local charities so it will make a significant difference to them.

My auntie was child free and a millionaire. She left each family member 10k so was more than generous.

The rest went to two very specific local charities where she had volunteered throughout her life. The money has made significant differences to both charities and her local community.

There were some really pissed of family members, I'm so glad she didn't leave it to them! She would be so happy to know the outcome of her contribution.

Adult godchildren.

Reading with interest, as we have no children, nor any nieces/nephews. I do have a gaggle of godchildren, so if any of them still bother with me in my old age I would happily chuck it their way. I'm going to need some young people around to help me work my new mobile phone and facilitate the recreational drug habit I have planned for my retirement.

Defintiely leave it to whoever you wish.

I have a good friend who is in your situation. She originally planned to leave it to her nephews. But they are dismissive of her and u ngrtaeful and turn their nose up at Christmas gifts (they are in their 20s so ought to know better) and she has apparently just re-written her will to include friends and charities.

Bloody good on her I say.

I have DCs and one who will never be able to live independently so my situation is (obviously) different. But I think I would make a hefty bequest to a school near me to build a science lab or performace art complex in that situation. My sister is extremely well -off and we are not close at all so she is out. My BIL recently showed himself to be very grasping over a distant relative's will so he is out.

Nieces, nephews, stepkids & charity!

IF there’s anything to leave because I am planning a MAJOR spending spree in my 80s. Imma go out living big.

Unless all my relatives were very unpleasant, I would leave it to them. If I had literally no relatives (or unpleasant ones) then I would leave it to friends.

I recently spoke to a lady who has made her best friend the beneficiary of her will (her assets mainly consist of her house) because there is no other way her friend will ever own a home. I thought that was a lovely thing to do.