AIBU to want to leave my money to charity and not to relatives?

[TheMoleInAHole]

I don't have children yet, due to fertility issues I may never have them. I'm in my early 30s so hopefully not going anywhere for a while but I'm planning my will. My parents are still alive so will receive my money(house, savings and life insurance) if I die before them. I'm an only child so siblings aren't an issue and I'm single.

However if I die after my parents and don't have children I want to leave the house and money to four or five charities with causes that are important to me. I have 22 first cousins and while I have no real issues with any of them I never see some of them and the rest I see once or twice a year.

My friend thinks that it's wrong to leave the money to animals/the homeless etc when I have relatives but personally I think that the charities could make better use of the money(about £500,000 or so) than if divided between some people I barely know, relatives or not. If we were especially close then yes that'd be different.

So AIBU?

YANBU

It is your money to leave so leave it as you want.

It's your money. And it's lovely to think of making a difference after your death. Go ahead if that's what you want!

Absolutely your choice, no one else's business.

Not unreasonable at all I work in this field about 50 % of childfree clients leave their estates to charity rather than family.

Don’t leave it spend it

YANBU at all. My maternal uncle has no kids, and recently mentioned adding me to his will. I was really shocked, certainly never would have expected it and said that although I appreciate it, it really isn’t necessary.

Way I see it, it’s your money and entirely your choice what to do with it.

Seems like a good idea to me.

This is what we’re doing. If our DS outlives us then everything goes to him. If he dies with us then I’m leaving my jewellery to my best friend, £10k to each parent and £20k to my best friend and her husband. My business will be left to my employees. The remainder of the estate will be split between two charities.

Your money, your decision.

Make sure you put something in the will about NOT leaving money to cousins so they cannot challenge it.

Speak to your solicitor, and definitely don't do a home written will.

I don't intend to live like a pauper but I can't spend it all because so much of it is tied up in the house, and life insurance and also because I can't think of that many things to spend my savings on, my pleasures are simple, but I will enjoy some nice holidays and trips before leaving what's left and the house to charity.

Your money your choice but do remember to change it if circumstances change. You may one day have a partner with nieces and nephews who you would like to leave a little something to.

YANBU. It’s your money and if you feel
A Charity should benefit that’s your right.
My PILS had their Wills made so that In the (very unlikely) event that their children and grandchildren passed on before them, their money is to go to Charity. FIL’s brother robbed him off his own inheritance from their parents and committed fraud in the process, amongst other horrible things, FIL would never want him to get a share of his money.

Friend of friend had a disabled nephew she left 50% in trust for his future care and 50% to charity

Good advice about making sure that it's clearly worded. I'm definitely doing it through a solicitor. I don't want to leave anyone with a headache sorting out the mess because I tried to do it on the cheap.

Even if I have children I'd still want to leave some to charity. I'll keep in mind that circumstances may change but for the moment I don't really feel any need to leave more than a token or two to my cousins who are all reasonably successful individuals or to their children for those who have them.

If leaving all your money to charity, make sure you specify that you want your funeral costs paid for if you are bothered about that sort of thing. I know of two cases locally where all money (more than hundred thousand less than a million) was left to (big) charities who refused to then give a few thousand to executors to cover funeral fees. One had more or less a paupers funeral with no headstone. The other executors had to fight nail and tooth for a headstone (and the cost of the solicitors used by the charity more than likely was higher than the cost of a headstone). Put me off donating to large charities.

One of my mother’s uncles, unmarried and childless, left his large estate to charity. He conveniently overlooked that a large part of his estate was family inheritance and that his nieces had looked after him (at significant personal cost) in his old age. He also left a very complicated estate that required huge amounts of work by my father (no relative) after his death, with no compensation.

If any of them had special needs or their children then I'd leave them something for their future, but at present that isn't the case and I'm the only one in the family who has disabilities.

YANBU leaving your money to charity...however definitely make sure your will is water tight so that:

1. Your indifferent cousins can't claim you meant to leave them something
2. The charities can't petition for a greater share than originally allocated (RSPCA are notorious for this but I have heard of other "big" charities doing this against smaller charities that can't afford to fight it and then lose out vital funds).

It's your money, spend it how you like in every sense.

Good point about funeral costs. I've been thinking of planning mine. I want a fairly basic green burial so I'll make arrangements for that at the same time.

I can guarantee that none of my cousins will look after me in my old age(as is right and not something I'd want anyway). So I'll be making a living will soon too and putting some basic arrangements in place for my future. I'm not planning on going anywhere but I want to have everything in place because you never know.

I’m not a big believer in giving to charity. It’s basically a black hole and most of the times you are funding the ceo and directors salaries. It’s your money though. But I’d encourage you to spend it and enjoy yourself before popping your clogs.

Thank you all for the excellent advice. It's very helpful. I'll be especially particular about ensuring that none of them can access more than their allotted amount. I'm aiming to donate to smaller charities so hopefully that'll be less of an issue.

One question though - why are you wasting money on life insurance in your current circumstances?

What current circumstances? I don't personally see life insurance as a waste though I know some may disagree. I want to leave my parents money if I go before they do.

Employ a firm of solicitors to be the executors so that your relatives don't need to clear the house and sell it but without any gain. It is very draining clearing a house and charities are quite happy for the relatives to do all the work while tapping their fingers for the money. Also you might want to consider whether there are any personal things such as photos, mementos etc. from grandparents which should go to family not to charity.

Good advice, Shouldwestayorshouldwego. I've had to clear too many houses over the past years so I definitely don't want relatives to have to do the same.