This page and its links are intended to give you step by step help on what you should do and in what order.

Here are the stages, just click on the stage you are working on and a new scene will open with the relevant information.

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1. Decide who will draw up your Will.
   • There are a number of opinions when it comes to making your Will, but it is always recommended to use a professional. Validity in making a Will is what really counts. A valid will gives you peace of mind so that your exact wishes will be carried out, the way that you intended.
     
     Be prepared for your first meeting with your chosen professional. They will want to give you the best of advice and that will mean knowing a lot about you. You will need your personal details, proof of who you are, some idea of all your assets and to have thought through what it is that you want to do with those assets.
     
     There is extra support on this topic on the Law Society Website, see: The Legal and Accountancy Professionals.
     
     The cost of using a solicitor varies depending on how complicated you Will is. The solicitor should make it clear from the start what s/he will be charging. Consider some of the schemes that are advertised on: A Number of Schemes.
      
2. Work out your assets.
   • Before arranging to have a Will written, it is worth drawing up a list of your assets (and your debts). This should give you a clearer idea of what your final estate will look like.
     
     You could set it out like this:
     
     Assets:
     • House
     • Cash savings
     • Bank/Building society/savings Accounts
     • Shares
     • Bonds
     • Life policies
     • Pension funds
     • Household Contents
     • Personal Items, jewellery etc.
     
     Debts:
     • Mortgage
     • Loans
     • Other debts 
     
     Also see: Tax Implications
      
3. Plan who you will remember.
   • When writing a Will it is important to make sure your loved ones are taken care of.
     
     After providing for family and friends, you may wish to leave a legacy to St Wilfrid’s Hospice – a contribution which would allow your generosity to last beyond your life time.
     
     Leaving a legacy to St Wilfrid’s Hospice?
     
     Take a look at section 4 (below) and see what options there are for leaving a gift, and the recommended wording that should be used.
     
     But, don’t forget our full name is St Wilfrid’s Hospice (Eastbourne) – and our charity number is – 283686.
     
     Choosing an Executor or Trustee
     
     Think about who you want to carry out your wishes when you’re gone. This person should be appointed Executor.Take a look at our Acting as an Executor? page. This will tell you the skills that such a person will have to have and the time that they will have to devote to it. Be clear in your mind that they are the right age and have enough experience in life to cope with these duties.
     
     This can be a very rewarding role, talk it over with your family and friends so that you are sure that you have the right person. 
     
     Also see: Frequently asked questions
      
4. Choose the type of Legacy.
   • There are several different types of legacy and choosing how to make your gift is an important decision.
     
     Consider each option carefully and select the one that’s right for you.
     
     Residuary Legacy
     
     This is a gift of the remainder or percentage of your estate after all other legacies have been made and debts cleared.
     
     Residuary legacies keep up with inflation and are an effective way to divide the value of an estate between a number of people and causes that are important to you.
     
     If you are considering what type of legacy to leave St Wilfrid’s Hospice, a residuary legacy can help your gift go further.
     
     Pecuniary Legacy
     
     A gift of a fixed sum of money.
     
     The value of a pecuniary legacy will decrease over time, as the cost of living increases.
     
     Specific Legacy
     
     A particular named item left as a gift in your Will is known as a specific legacy, for example, a piece of jewellery, a painting or the entire contents of your home.
     
     Contingent Gifts
     
     Legacies made on the basis of another event happening first are called contingent gifts. For example your Will could state that a gift only applies if all other beneficiaries named in your Will die before you do.
     
     Life Interest or Reversionary legacy
     
     This is a gift which someone can benefit from in their lifetime. For instance, your house could be left for the use of a relative or friend, for their life time – or until they cannot live there any longer. When they have no more use of the house then it can pass to St Wilfrid’s as your charity of choice. 
     
     Also see: How do I get started?  
      
5. Get the wording right.
   • If you have decided to remember St Wilfrid’s (Eastbourne) in your Will we recommend taking this wording to your solicitor.
     Here are our suggestions for:
     
     Residuary Bequest (a proportion of your estate)
     
     I give (%) of the residue of my real and personal estate which I can dispose of by Will in any manner I think proper to St Wilfrid's Hospice (Registered Charity No. 283686) of 2-4 Mill Gap Road, Eastbourne, BN21 2HJ and the receipt of the Honorary Treasurer or the proper officer for the time being of St Wilfrid's Hospice shall be a complete discharge to my executors.
     
     Pecuniary Bequest (a set sum)
     
     I give the sum of ...... pounds to St Wilfrid's Hospice (Registered Charity No. 283686) of 2-4 Mill Gap Road, Eastbourne, BN21 2HJ and the receipt of the Honorary Treasurer or other proper officer for the time being of St Wilfrid's Hospice shall be a complete discharge to my executors.
     
     Specific Legacy Bequest (a named item)
     
     I, give to St Wilfrid's Hospice (registered charity number 283686) of 2-4 Mill Gap Road, Eastbourne, BN21 2HJ absolutely, my (name and description of item).
     
     Reversionary Legacies / Life interest trusts
     
     My trustees shall hold […] on trust for […] during his lifetime and, following his death, hold the capital and income for St Wilfrid's Hospice (registered charity number 283686) of 2-4 Mill Gap Road, Eastbourne, BN21 2HJ and the receipt of the proper officer for the time being of St Wilfrid's Hospice shall be a complete discharge to my trustees …
     
     It is important that the following clause is included in your Will, whichever wording you need to use:
     
     "If at my death any charity named as a beneficiary in this Will or any Codicil hereto has changed its name or amalgamated with or transferred its assets to another body then my executors shall give effect to any gift made to such charity as if it had been made (in the first case) to the body in its changed name or (in the second place) to the body which results from such amalgamation or to which such transfer has been made."
     
     Please remember to use our full name St Wilfrid’s (Eastbourne), our registered charity number 283686 and the correct registered address:
     2-4 Mill Gap Road
     Eastbourne
     East Sussex
     BN21 2HJ 
      
6. Make your gift work harder.
   • Leaving a legacy to St Wilfrid’s Hospice (Eastbourne) is one of the greatest gifts that you can give – you will not only be helping to support those in the future who will suffer from terminal illness, but supporting a much loved and local charity that works for the people of this area and their families and friends.
     
     After you have made the decision to leave a legacy to St Wilfrid’s there are several things that you can do to make your money go further.
     
     Include our full name
     Make sure you include our full name – St Wilfrid’s hospice (Eastbourne) – in your Will when leaving us a legacy.
     
     If you don’t use our full name, including the (Eastbourne) bit, your legacy may go to the wrong St Wilfrid’s – there are others, and we will not be able to use your gift as you intended.
     
     Consider a residuary legacy
     
     If you are not sure which type of legacy to leave St Wilfrid’s then please consider a residuary legacy. Residuary legacies retain their value because they follow inflation and are based on a portion of your estate rather than a set amount of money.
     
     Let us know
     
     If you have left or are considering leaving a legacy to St Wilfrid's Hospice then please let us know. By letting us know your intentions, we can thank you properly. It also enables us to plan ahead with confidence.
     
     Please contact John Summers on 01323 637865 or email john.summers@stwhospice.org