Gifts in Wills

A Will is a legal document that states in writing what you want to happen when you die. This includes details such as who will be appointed to ensure your final wishes are carried out and what you want to happen to your money, possessions and assets. You can also include details about what kind of funeral you would like, whether you wish to have your body cremated, buried or donated for organ transplant or medical research.

There are many variables in what a partner, spouse or family member is legally entitled to depending on how their relationship is viewed in Law. Having a Will is a safe way to ensure your partner, children, relatives and friends receive exactly what you want them to. Without a Will, someone you have not appointed will decide what happens to your effects, which can cause undue stress to surviving partners and families at a difficult time of loss.

If you don’t have a solicitor Myeloma UK has a partnership with a company called Accord Legal Services to offer everyone in the myeloma community the opportunity to have a standard single or mirror Will written for free. To make an appointment with Accord Legal Services to discuss your situation contact myelomauk@accordwills.co.uk or call 01744 807084 quoting “Myeloma UK”. Accord will then arrange an appointment with you by phone, Skype, Zoom or by home visit and take you through drafting your Will.

There are other Will-making options available online if you prefer to organise a simple Will yourself, although it is important to make sure that these will accommodate your circumstances and wishes. Visit this online site to discover which Will is best for you – https://wills.which.co.uk/wills/selector/

A standard simple Will costs on average around £100 per person. Myeloma UK has a partnership with a company called Accord Legal Services to offer everyone in the myeloma community the opportunity to have a standard single or mirror Will written for free. To make an appointment with Accord Legal Services to discuss your situation contact myelomauk@accordwills.co.uk or call 01744 807084 quoting “Myeloma UK”. Accord will then arrange an appointment with you by phone, Skype, Zoom or by home visit and take you through your Will.

There are other Will-making options available online if you prefer to organise a simple Will yourself, although it is important to make sure that these will accommodate your circumstances and wishes. Visit this online site to discover which Will is best for you – https://wills.which.co.uk/wills/selector/

It’s really important to make a Will even if you don’t think you have much to pass on. Many people underestimate the value of their home and belongings, pension and savings and may be surprised at how everything adds up. Wills are also important as they allow you to name those who you want to inherit from you. Close friends, partners (where you’re not married or in a civil partnership), carers and relations by marriage do not automatically qualify to inherit.

Making a Will can seem daunting, but if you use a recommended Will writing service it doesn’t have to be hard, and once it’s done you’ll feel really good about it. Why not set yourself a deadline to avoid keep putting it off?

It’s good to consider the following when thinking through what you want to include in your Will.

• Who would you like to appoint to carry out your wishes, referred to as an Executor? (You can appoint more than one person should you wish to.)
• Who would you wish to leave a gift to (partners, spouses, children etc.)?
• Do you have any specific wishes, for example; whether you wish to be buried or cremated, what sort of funeral you would like?
• Which charities would you like to leave gifts to? You will need to include the charity’s registered named and charity number (e.g. Myeloma UK, SC026116). Details for other charities can be found on the Charity Commission website or OSCR website (Scottish registered charities only)
• It’s also worth considering whether you want to appoint someone as your Power of Attorney – this is someone you trust to manage your financial affairs while you are alive and take decisions about your well-being if you become ill or incapacitated

For charities like Myeloma UK, every gift left in a Will is greatly appreciated as this enables us to continue our vital work helping myeloma patients and their families, funding services, patient advocacy and research on our path to discovering a cure for myeloma.

If you speak to a solicitor about making a Will, you can discuss with them how much you would like to leave and they will draft the correct wording for you.

There are different types of gifts you can leave:

1. Residuary gift: this is when a share (or percentage) of your estate (possessions and assets) is left to charity after everything else has been paid out. This can be anything from 1% to 100%
2. Pecuniary gift: this is where you choose to leave a specific amount of money

You have the option to include whether you want to support our research or general charitable purposes (which includes research). If you do not state specifically, your gift will be used where the need is greatest.

The essential charity information you must include in your Will is:

Name of Charity: Myeloma UK
Registered Charity no: SC026116

If you are making big changes to your Will (involving more than 10% of your estate) it is better to make a new Will. This will ensure that everything is recorded clearly and legally.

If you are making a small change, you can note your wishes down in a codicil. A codicil is an additional legal document which needs to be witnessed and stored alongside your existing Will.

If you would like to make changes to your Will, it’s best to contact your solicitor or you could contact Myeloma UK’s partners: Accord Legal Services. Accord have agreed to review your existing Will and to create a new one for free if required. To make an appointment with Accord Legal Services to discuss your situation contact myelomauk@accordwills.co.uk or call 01744 807084 quoting “Myeloma UK”.