Legacy FAQs

Writing a will is your best ever opportunity to provide for the people and causes you love.

Your will is one of the most important documents you’ll ever sign so it’s important to get it right. Here are the answers to the most frequently asked questions.

Why should I bother to write a will?
How much does it cost to write a will?
What do I need to think about when writing a will?
What if I just want to make a small change to my existing will?
How can I be sure my money will reach the people I want to help?
Do charitable legacies affect Inheritance Tax?
What information should I include to remember CAFOD in my will?
Can I decide where my legacy will be spent?
Do I have to tell CAFOD of my wishes and plans?
How will my gift be honoured?

Why should I bother to write a will?

If you die without a valid will your estate will be distributed according to the laws of intestacy. It could take years for your family to gain access to your funds and they may not receive all you would have liked them to get.

Dependants not formally recognised as family (such as an unmarried partner or step-children) do not have automatic rights under the laws of succession.

Most wills are quite straightforward and take less than 45 minutes to set out. If your estate’s complicated your advisor will be able to help guide you through the process. Spending a bit of time preparing can help the process go even more smoothly.

How much does it cost to write a will?

Many people worry about the expense of writing a will but it’s a good investment in your family’s future. A simple will can cost as little as £70 and a mirror will (for couples) can be written for around £120.

We wouldn’t advise you to try writing your own will. A professional can help you consider all eventualities and allow for different scenarios. It’s all too easy to overlook something or make a mistake that could invalidate your will or cause delays, disputes and heartbreak when the time comes to administer the estate.

What do I need to think about when writing a will?

Sowing seeds of hope (our guide to making or updating a will) covers the basic process of writing a will and leaving a legacy to CAFOD, as well as containing a useful form to help you organise your thoughts. But if you can’t wait to receive your copy through the post, here are some of the most important things to think about.

List your assets

Make a list of everything you own of value e.g. property, vehicles, investments, savings and collectibles.

List your liabilities

Work out what you owe at the time of writing your will e.g. mortgage, loans, credit cards.

List your beneficiaries and legacies

Write down the full name and address of people you intend to include in your will and be specific about what you want to leave them.

If you have dependants or pets, think about who will take care of them and how this will be paid for. If remembering a charity it’s a good idea to include its registered details. (See our registered details) – link to “What information…” below

Choose someone to carry out your wishes (executors)

Executors can be professionals, such as solicitors or banks, or they can be trusted relatives or friends. If nominating someone who isn’t a professional, please check they are willing to take on this substantial responsibility.

Double check your draft will and make sure you sign it

Once your advisor has drafted your will, read it through carefully and make sure it’s accurate and it says exactly what you want it to say. When you’re happy with it, the will must be signed and dated by you and two witnesses.

Keep your will safe and sound

Once you’ve made your will it’s important to store it safely. Review it regularly to ensure it reflects your circumstances and wishes.

Some changes in your circumstances (e.g. divorce or remarriage) can invalidate parts of all of your will so you should always speak to your advisor after a major life-event.

What if I just want to make small changes to my existing will?

Minor alterations to a will can sometimes be covered by writing a codicil, which works in addition to your full will. An example of a codicil form can be downloaded here but please note this is not a legally binding document.

How can I be sure my money will reach the people I want to help?

We only work with trusted local partners who are committed to managing their funds efficiently, openly, effectively and for the stated purpose. We monitor our partners to ensure they’re reaching and helping the communities they serve.

Out of every £1 you give to CAFOD, 89p goes straight to our charitable objectives (i.e. our overseas work and our education and awareness campaigns in England and Wales). Only 1p is spent on essential governance and 10p is used to raise further funds.

See an overview of how and where we raise and spend funds.

Do charitable legacies affect Inheritance Tax?

Estates worth more than £325,000 (the nil rate band) are eligible for Inheritance Tax (IHT) at a rate of 40% on anything above the nil rate band. For example, an estate worth £400,000 would attract a tax bill of £30,000 (40% of £75,000).

Charities are exempt beneficiaries, meaning that gifts to charity in your will do not count towards the nil rate band. So using the example above, a charitable legacy of £75,000 would mean the estate doesn’t attract any IHT.

From 6 April 2012, changes to the tax laws mean your family could benefit from a reduced rate of inheritance tax if you leave 10% or more of your estate to charity in your will. This is a new and relatively untested piece of legislation so you’ll need to speak to your advisor to ensure the wording of your will takes advantage of this change.

Some other beneficiaries and certain lifetime gifts are also exempt from IHT. Our booklet Sowing seeds of hope contains more information.

Remember: IHT can be complicated so be sure to speak to your advisor about the tax implications of your choices. For more information, visit www.hmrc.gov.uk/inheritancetax

What information should I include to remember CAFOD in my will?

When including a legacy to charity it’s important to specify the charity’s registered name, address and charity number.

For CAFOD these are:
Registered name: CAFOD (Catholic Agency for Overseas Development)
Registered address: Romero House, 55 Westminster Bridge Road, London, SE1 7JB.
Registered charity number: 285776

Print off suggested wording for different types of gift to take to your solicitor.

Can I decide where my legacy will be spent?

Legacies are usually unrestricted gifts, allowing us to use the funds wherever the need is greatest at that particular time.

If you have a particular area of interest that you’d like to benefit, please contact us to discuss your intentions. We’ll always try to accommodate people’s wishes but sometimes leaving a gift to a specific project or country can cause difficulties, especially if the project’s finished or if we’ve stopped working in that country by the time the testator passes away. If you can let us know what you’d like to achieve through your gift, we’ll do our utmost to help you.

Do I have to tell CAFOD of my wishes and plans?

Your will is a private document and you’re not under any obligation to tell us anything. It would be lovely if you felt comfortable sharing your intentions with us, because then we’d be able to thank you in person for your amazing kindness.

Knowing that people are including us in their wills today gives us added confidence for tomorrow and helps us commit to important long-term projects. To let us know you’ve included a gift to CAFOD in your will, or that you intend to do so, please contact the legacy team (details below). We’d love to hear from you!

How will my gift be honoured?

Because we work hard to make every gift go as far as possible - and because our supporters have told us that’s the way they’d like things to stay – we don’t erect benches and plaques or plant trees in the name of our past friends. In many of the countries we work in, that kind of tribute just wouldn’t be possible.

Our lack of brass plaques doesn’t mean that we don’t value and honour those who leave a legacy: quite the opposite. Many of those who leave us such a special gift have lived prudently their whole lives and have often made sacrifices to help the people and causes they cared about. So in their memory and following their inspiring example, we make sure their last and most special gift is used wisely and to help as many people as possible.

Each year, the names of those whose legacy has been realised during the past 12 months are included in our Books of Remembrance, which are blessed at our diocesan memorial masses in November. The men and women who remember CAFOD in their wills are a small but precious group of friends and we are forever indebted to them.