Leave a Legacy

Will to Charity: Make a Will to Help Save Wildlife Habitats

Remembering the work of the World Land Trust when making a will is a very easy way of ensuring our work continues in the longer term, and many of our supporters have already indicated that they have made bequests to the Trust.

If you wish, your legacy can be earmarked for a particular region or project but please note that our land purchase priorities change as we achieve our fundraising targets and the reserves are created. If you are happy for the WLT Trustees to decide where your funds are most urgently needed then it would be appropriate for you to earmark a legacy to the WLT Action Fund.  Alternately, donations to the WLT General Funds help our day-to-day administration enormously. Please make sure any specific requirements are covered in your will. Another way of supporting the Trust is to request that friends and family make donations to the World Land Trust instead of sending flowers to a funeral.

These are the projects that require urgent funding at present however, our funding needs change and donations to the WLT Action Fund ensure that funds are used where they are most needed

When considering making  a charitable bequest we would always suggest you consult your lawyer for advice. But if you already have a will, you can amend it at any time by making a short codicil with your instructions. And provided this is witnessed and signed by two people, and appended to the original will, it will ensure your wishes are implemented.

Another good way of supporting charity is leaving a residual will. Your bequests would take priority and any residual funds would go to the charity.

A Living Legacy

If you are considering a bequest of land for conservation purposes it would be very helpful to WLT if your wishes are discussed during your lifetime. This way we can ensure that your own wishes concerning the future of the land are taken into account. WLT’s Kites Hill Reserve is a Living Legacy by Jane Pointer who enjoys seeing her woodland and meadows in the Cotswolds being managed for conservation.

If you would like to discuss your bequest, or have any queries, please contact our CEO who will answer your questions in confidence: contact John Burton at the World Land Trust.

A donation to save Rainforests would make a green alternative to flowers at a funeral

Tax Benefits and Legacies

In the UK, legacies to charity do not incur inheritance tax (death duties). Consequently you could save 40% inheritance tax, and, for example, a donation of £2,500 would only cost your estate £1,500.

After death heir(s) can also make a gift, in the dead person’s name. If they do so before completing the IHT 400 they can simply enter it under Exemptions and Reliefs.

The Gift can be made any time up to two years of the death by drawing up a Deed of Variation and sending it to the Inland Revenue.

However, many estates will not be liable for inheritance tax and a gift to charity by such estates will not produce any change in the tax position.

The Inland Revenue produce several useful publications:

• 'Alterations to an inheritance following a death' (IHT 8)
• 'Instruments of Variation 2' (this gives a clear guide as to how to draw up a deed of variation, with an example of the exact wording)
• An Instrument of Variation checklist (IOV2). You can use this to determine whether you have correctly made a deed and if you have to submit it to the IR to be checked.

Inheritance tax forms are available online at:

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/inheritancetax/iht-probate-forms/find-right-forms.htm