Are you considering leaving a sum of money to a charity once you pass away and not sure if this is possible? When thinking of who you would like to nominate as a beneficiary under your Will, most people immediately assume you can only nominate family and friends.

A Will is a personal document that outlines your wishes once you have passed away. Many people’s lives have been impacted by a specific event and subsequently they wish to include a clause in their Will donating a sum of money to a specific charity.

Often, people are unable to donate during their lives and find that leaving a gift to a charity is a perfect way to support the charity and the work it does. By leaving a donation in your Will, you are financially assisting an organisation that may rely on donations for its continued operation and you are leaving a positive impact on both those involved in the charity and those effected by the work it performs.

There are many ways you can leave a charitable gift in your Will. For example, you can specify an amount of money you would like to leave to the charity, or you could nominate a percentage of your estate. You should consult with a solicitor who is skilled in drafting specific clauses to include such a donation in your Will.

Importantly, engaging a solicitor will assist you to ensure that the charity you choose is a genuine charity and will allow you to discuss alternative options should the charity deregister prior to your gift becoming effective.