A BEQUEST FORM MUST BE INCLUDED WITHIN THE BODY OF A WILL OR AS A CODICIL IN ORDER TO BE LEGALLY ACCEPTABLE.
Your Will is one of the most important documents you will ever write. You may wish to use a solicitor to ensure that all the legal formalities are correctly followed. Knowing that your Will is valid and expresses your exact wishes will give you peace of mind.
Legacies to charities come in several different forms, for example:
Residuary legacy: part of your estate remaining after family and friends have been looked after
Pecuniary legacy: a lump sum of money
Specific items: real estate, jewellery, antiques, or shares
Charities are exempt from inheritance tax, so you may also reduce the tax burden on your estate.
If you would like to leave a bequest to The Buddhist Society we recommend that you use the following wordings, although of course your solicitor may adapt them according to your individual needs.
For a residuary legacy
“Subject as foresaid I GIVE AND BEQUEATH the whole of my Estate (or x% of the residue of my Estate) whatsoever and wheresoever both real and personal absolutely to The Buddhist Society of 58 Eccleston Square, London, SW1V 1PH. for the General Purposes of the Buddhist Society and AND I DECLARE the receipt of the Treasurer or other proper Officer for the time being shall be a full and sufficient discharge to my Executors”.
For a pecuniary legacy
“GIVE AND BEQUEATH the sum of £x to The Buddhist Society of 58 Eccleston Square, London, SW1V 1PH. for the General Purposes of the Buddhist Society AND I DECLARE the receipt of the Treasurer or other proper Officer for the time being shall be a full and sufficient discharge to my Executors”.
Should you wish to ensure that the sum of money you’re leaving now will have the same relative value at the date of your death as it does now, please include the following wording after the above: “The amount of this legacy to The Buddhist Society shall be regarded as a provisional amount only and the amount payable shall be that provisional amount or if greater that provisional amount index linked to the retail prices index from the date of this Will to the date of my death”.
