Making a will and keeping it up to date is the only way to make sure the people and organisations you care about are provided for in the way that you wish when you pass away.

A third of our work is made possible by gifts in wills and it is a way to make a real difference to patients for generations to come.

But with so much legal jargon to contend with, it can often be daunting to take those first steps into investigating leaving a gift in your will.

Here are just a few of the phrases you might come across and some simple explanations of what it all means:

Codicil – if you’ve already made a will but wish to leave a gift to Above & Beyond, you can make an addition or change without having to rewrite your current will. This addition is known as a codicil. 

Pecuniary gift – a gift of a fixed amount of money, small or large, e.g. £500 or £150,000.

Residuary gift – a share of your estate.

Estate – all of your assets including property, items of ownership and money.

Executor – an executor is someone who is appointed to carry out the instructions of your will and is in charge of ensuring that the gift you leave gets to your chosen charity. You can appoint either a professional executor, e.g. a solicitor, or a lay executor, e.g. a friend or family member.

We would always recommend that you seek the advice of a solicitor or other professional advisor when making or amending a will.

If you’re interested in learning more about leaving a gift to Above & Beyond, please contact Sam Bohn on [email protected] or 0117 927 7120.