Not knowing what to do about Will writing , no DP or relatives.

[starshine1926]

Since my DM passed away nearly 2 years ago, I have no close family left. I do have cousins but we never see each other from one year to the next; in fact, only one cousin came to DM funeral.

I am aware I should make a will as I own a few properties and have savings. Hopefully, I will live long enough to spend it. However, I could be knocked down by a bus tomorrow and would not wish my assets to go to distant relatives. I might marry a millionaire next year but I might not find one , so I need to make a will that reflects my current circumstances.

I have one close friend and lots of acquaintances so it seems reasonable to leave something to my friend and the bulk of the rest to charity. I would leave some to the hospice which cared for DM and some to environmental/animal charities. But trying to choose beneficiaries is a nightmare: all the big charities have tens of millions and their chief execs are on stupid money. If I left money to charity, I would want it to be properly used not squandered on balls, high salaries and other jollies. Also, who would be the executor?

Any suggestions welcome, especially from childfree MN, or anyone in a similar position to me. It's depressing me enough just thinking about this but I want to get it done so I can focus on more positive things.

Leave to local charities and ask your friend to be executor.

When my friend died in her 40s, she wrote a will directing that her house should be sold and the money would be divided between 5 children that she cared about. On the advice of her solicitor, the money was to be held in trust until each reached 25. It would be a very useful but not excessive amount of money, about 40k.
Any other money in her estate was to go to environmental and Quaker charities.
So her will reflected her beliefs and values.

In your situation, I would leave to local charities, but you also probably know some people who would benefit from a little windfall too.

Leave it all to your mate

You can get a solicitor to be the executor, which might be best rather than your friend having to sell properties etc. Generally I think you would use the solicitor who draws up the will.

Is there a local gallery or museum you love? They could buy an exhibit in your name. 🙂

Do you have any hobbies? You could save s local steam train or woken milk if that is your thing. Did you go to college? You could leave a bursary for future students.

No solicitors charge a fortune to be executors.

Lots of charities will pay for the cost of writing your will if they are a chief beneficiary. Ask the solicitor who draws up your will to be the executor. If you have relatives, however distant they may be expecting to inherit and may contest the will. You would be surprised how low people will go when money is involved, and a solicitor will be far more able to deal with this as executor than your friend.

Woken milk? Woolen mill!

You have some time to do some research into charities and think about which you think are the best recipients.

I've heard stories that leaving a % of the estate to a charity can be a nightmare as they fight to maximise their share; so I have left fixed £ amounts to charities and the rest to be divided between my niece and godchildren.

Definitely get a solicitor to be your executor. Having just been any executor for a will, I can tell you outs a LOT of work, and that will didn't include a property.

Choose a solicitor to draw up your will having first researched on line about the charities you would like to leave money to. Often they have advice on line about bequests. This article and other link might be a starting point for you www.telegraph.co.uk/money/charity-will-gifting/benefits-of-leaving-money-to-charity/
www.rememberacharity.org.uk/making-a-will/leave-a-gift-to-charity/ but I agree, we always choose to support the smaller charities with more immediate needs and less admin costs.

Leave money to local foodbank? A small amount can make a big difference.
Alternatively leave it to me. Could do with a bit of help.

Solicitors don’t charge a fortune to be executor unless the will is very complex, probate solicitors charge on an hourly rate.

I bet your local domestic violence refuge will have definitely been hit by austerity measures and would be very thankful indeed.

Why isn't there an organisation whereby people can nominate others they know who'd really appreciate the money - such as a family with a disabled child to pay for bills, new car or make home accessible. I'd love to know that someone took the time to check the claim was valid and true, and that the money went to a truly deserving family who otherwise wouldn't receive the help. IMO better than some charities...

Think like an organ donation - not needed so goes to someone in desperate need once you're gone.

Anyone can elaborate on this concept? I'm sure there's plenty of negatives here - it's just a thought off the top of my head as if I had no one in my life I felt I could leave it to, I'd want to impact someone else's.

A little boy I know has Hunter’s disease. It is very rare. His family are supported by the MPS society. Because it is a rare disease the charity is small. (They talk about £3m donated towards research over a 30 year period.)

If you don’t fancy this one there are hundreds of rare diseases where you could leave your money and it would really make a difference.

Okay, I have heard horror stories about solicitors as executors. Would be normal to have close friend as executor though.

I'm sure you can find some local charities. There are loads of small local ones that can't publicise themselves like the big charities. Did you attend university or college, you could set up a bursery for local/poor/female/single parent students.

I think it's really exciting! What are you passionate about? What changes do you want to see in the world? Who would you like to help?

If it were me I'd make a list of, say 5-10 things I really care about, and then research charities which make concrete differences in those areas. They can be quite niche things: helping make sure refugee women can get sanitary products, for instance, or improving the garden at your local hospice. I really love smaller charities that do very specific things to change people's lives. And your bequest is more likely to make a big difference to smaller charities than larger ones.

I admit, I was shocked a few years ago to see just how much money Cancer Research get every year. Not that it's not an important and worthwhile charity, but they have more than double the income of the next largest charity. Personally, I would much rather give money to something like Macmillan to help care for people's immediate suffering, though obviously this is a completely personal decision. But I would definitely research how much income different charities get before making your choices.

sirmione16, Acts 435 does something like that: acts435.org.uk/ I've given money to people who desperately need beds or washing machines or school uniform through it before. I really like how personal it is. Small amounts of money making a concrete difference to people and families.

@bridgetreilly this is perfect, thank you for sharing! Definitely saving it

Op, how old are you? As in twenty something or 50 something? If you plan on leaving everything to Battersea dogs home then get pregnant with surprise quads in 4 years time, you'll have to change it sharpish! I'd suggest not telling the planned recipients that you are planning to do so - my grandfather informed a charity he was going to do so and they badgered him apparently!

my grandfather informed a charity he was going to do so and they badgered him apparently!

Did they want him to die quicker or what?

Charities rely on being able to pay people to run the projects. It’s rare for money to be squandered on undeserved salaries and for the charity to get away with it. If you leave to a charity you need to leave it to them trusting they will put the funds to good use. If you don’t, then don’t give them the money.