WHY YOUR WILL IS SO IMPORTANT

Using your Will today can help ensure our work flourishes in the years ahead.

Making a Will is your golden opportunity to ensure that your precise wishes are carried out after you are gone. If you don’t make a Will you won’t be able to help the people and causes that are important to you.

It’s a sad fact that without a valid Will, it is possible that everything you own could end up in the hands of the Treasury – this is still true even if you are married, living with a partner or have children. Don’t assume they will inherit: draw up a Will and make sure they do!

After you have provided for your loved ones, you may wish to remember a favourite charity – like BWBF! – in your Will. A legacy is a wonderful way to support our work for registered blind and partially-sighted people in the UK.

And, because legacies to charities are exempt from inheritance tax, you’ll know that all of your gift will go towards helping to bring the comfort and companionship of radio to those in need.

If you don’t already have a Will, the best advice is to consult a solicitor or Will-writing professional who can help you ensure that this very important document is drawn up correctly.

KEEPING YOUR WILL UP TO DATE

It is a good idea to review your Will from time to time – especially if your circumstances change. If you get married, have a child (or grandchildren!), get divorced, or if your your partner dies, you should amend your Will to take account of your new circumstances.

It is recommended that you ask a solicitor to do this in the form of a codicil to your existing Will – this will help avoid any legal problems in the future.

THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF LEGACY

Depending upon your particular wishes, there are several different kinds of legacies (also known as bequests) you can leave to help the work of BWBF. For example:

A PECUNIARY bequest – this is a gift of a specific sum of money.

A SPECIFIC bequest – this is a gift of a specific item of property.

A REVERSIONARY bequest – this type of gift ensures a partner or friend is provided for during their lifetime; after which the asset then passes to BWBF.

A RESIDUARY bequest – this is a gift of all, or a percentage, of what’s left of your estate after other bequests and expenses have taken care of. This is particularly beneficial to a charity as the value of your gift keeps pace with inflation.

HOW YOUR WILL CAN HELP BWBF

Each year we spend around £330,000 to provide our equipment to those in need. And it’s a need that is increasing steadily – it is estimated that over 90 people in Britain EVERY DAY will suffer a serious  loss of their sight.

We are a totally independent charity and receive no government funding or lottery aid. Legacies are quite simply vital to the future of our service.

SUGGESTED WORDING TO USE

If you decide you’d like to leave a bequest to BWBF, the following wording could be used. Your solicitor can advise you accordingly on these and other types of bequest.

For a Residuary bequest:

“I give the residue of my estate to the British Wireless for the Blind Fund, 10 Albion Place,
Maidstone, Kent ME14 5DZ, United Kingdom for its general purposes and I declare that the receipt of the Treasurer or other authorised officer will be sufficient discharge to my executor(s).”

For a Pecuniary or Specific bequest:

“I give the sum of £             (or the item specified) to the British Wireless for the Blind Fund, 10 Albion Place, Maidstone, Kent ME14 5DZ, United Kingdom, for its general purposes and I declare that the receipt of the Treasurer or other authorised officer will be sufficient discharge to my executor(s).”

CODICILS

Your solicitor should be consulted about the precise wording of a codicil or any change in your Will.