Leaving a legacy

People generously remembering The National Deaf Children's Society (NDCS) in their Wills is crucial to the success of our work.

Legacies are a lasting gift to future generations of deaf children, young people and their families.

A Will is one of the simplest ways to safeguard the future of your family and gives you a wonderful opportunity to remember your favourite charities. It is the best way of ensuring that your wishes are followed and can help reduce the worry to your loved ones at what is already a stressful time. In some cases your Will can be drafted so as to minimise or eliminate any Inheritance Tax which might otherwise be payable.

By arranging to leave us a bequest - and telling us about it in advance - you will enable us to plan our work with a far higher degree of accuracy, safe in the knowledge that when the time comes to implement our plans, we have the funds to back them up.

It is always best to have your Will drawn up by an experienced solicitor.

The NDCS has formed a partnership Sovereign Will & Probate Services who offer Will writing services prepared by a leading firm of solicitors, and within the privacy of your own home.

Please contact Sovereign quoting "NDCS" on 01473 257216 or  email admin@sovwills.com

Here are some of the ways we help deaf children and their families;

NDCS is an organisation of families, parents and carers, providing emotional and practical support through our Freephone Helpline, our network of trained support workers, our wide range of other support services and our publications and website.

As the leading provider of impartial information and individual advocacy on every aspect of childhood deafness, NDCS can help with welfare rights and benefit claims, making education choices, advising on health and audiology and technology, or simply as someone to talk to.

NDCS campaigns for improvements in services aimed at families with deaf children, working with central and local government, health authorities, education professionals, social services, manufacturers and voluntary organisations.

Request our legacy information pack or contact our legacy team on 020 7549 0461 or email us at ben.eydmann@ndcs.org.uk.

Or download our documents to help you:

Legacy Codicil Form (38 kb)

In light of recent changes in Inheritance Tax legislation in the recent budget and also in response to some recent comments from supporters we want to update our advice on leaving a legacy to NDCS in your Will.

Each individual has an inheritance tax level of £300,000. If your estate is worth more than this then your loved ones will pay 40% Inheritance Tax on the total amount above £300,000 when it passes on to them.

Under new legislation married couples can add their two Inheritance Tax levels together to give a figure of £600,000.  So under the new legislation for married couples amounts above £600,000 are taxable at 40% when the estate is passed on to family and loved ones.

Any gifts left in a Will to a charity are exempt from the 40% tax and therefore the whole of this gift goes to the charity – and none gets paid in tax.

If you would like anymore information on this, or any other aspect of giving a legacy to NDCS, please call Ben Eydmann on 020 7014 1102 or email him at ben.eydmann@ndcs.org.uk.

Administrator
Someone who is appointed to arrange your affairs if you do not leave a will.

Beneficiary
An individual or organisation who will receive a gift in your will.

Codicil
A document which alters the content of a will

Chattels and moveables
Your possessions, including your furniture and car

Estate
All your possessions at the time of your death, including money and property.

Executor
The person who is appointed by you to make sure the instructions in your will are carried out.

Inheritance Tax
Tax payable on your estate

Intestate and intestacy
You are said to be intestate if you die without making a will.  Intestacy is the name for this situation.

Legacy
A gift left to a person or organisation in your will.

Life interest
A two-stage form of legacy in which the first beneficiary is given, for example, the use of your house or the interest on your bank or building society account during their lifetime.

After their death, the house or capital passes to a second beneficiary named by you in your will.  Quite often a charity is the second beneficiary.

Pecuniary legacy
A gift of a fixed amount of money.

Power of attorney
A legal document which authorises one or more people to handle another person's financial affairs (including property, shares, money, etc), either generally or in relation to specific items.

Probate
The legal procedure to decide whether you left a valid will.

Residual legacy
A legacy made up of what is left after payments of all debts, taxes, administration expenses, Pecuniary legacies and other bequests made under the will.

Residuary legacy
A gift consisting of the residue or part of the residue of your estate.  This is a particularly popular way to leave a gift to a charity.

Specific legacy
A gift of a particular item, e.g. a piece of jewellery or furniture.

Testator or testatrix
The person who is making the will.

Will
A document that instructs how someone wishes to dispose of their assets on death.

Witness
A person who signs your will in your presence, who must not be a beneficiary.

By leaving NDCS a gift in your will you will make a very valuable contribution to the funding of our services.

The following legacy clauses may be helpful when drawing up your will.

Codicil
I give the sum of £________[pounds] to The National Deaf Children’s Society of 15 Dufferin Street, London, EC1Y 8UR for charitable purposes. I further direct that the receipt of the Honorary Treasury or other proper office of The National Deaf Children’s Society (registered charity number 1016532) for the time being shall be a full and sufficient discharge for the said legacy.

Residuary legacy
I give the whole of my real and personal property not hereby or by any codicil hereto specifically disposed of after payment of my debts pecuniary legacies funeral and administration expenses and any taxes in respect of estate to The National Deaf Children’s (registered charity number 1016532) of 15 Dufferin Street, London, EC1Y 8UR.  I further direct that the receipt of the Treasurer for the time being or other duly authorised officer shall be a sufficient discharge for my Executors/Trustees.

Specific legacy
I give my [short description of property given] free of all inheritance tax to The National Deaf Children’s Society (registered charity number 1016532) of 15 Dufferin Street, London, EC1Y 8UR. I further direct that the receipt of the Treasurer for the time being or other duly authorised officer shall be a sufficient discharge for my Executors/Trustees.

If you have any special requirements, please contact our Legacy Officer at ben.edymann@ndcs.org.uk, who will be pleased to help.