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Are there tax benefits to leaving a gift to charity? |
Why is it important to make a will and keep it up to date? |
What will it cost to make or amend a will?
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| How do I leave a gift in my will? |
Do I have enough to leave a gift? |
How much of my gift will be spent on administration costs? |
Can I ensure that my gift is used for a particular project or country? |
Can I visit a project in Africa to see how my gift might be spent? |
What if I’ve already left a gift to Harvest Help in my will? |
Do I have to tell Self Help Africa I’ve left a gift? |
Any other questions?
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Are there tax benefits to leaving a gift to charity? |
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Yes. Anything past the first £325,000 worth of items in your will gets taxed at a hefty 40% rate (2009-10). Any money donated to a registered UK charity is not counted towards that sum. Legacies are deducted before inheritance tax is applied, so many people use gifts to charities to stay within the Inheritance Tax threshold
The inheritance tax threshold is set by the Chancellor and may vary from year to year. Each individual's tax situation is different. For more information regarding the changes to inheritance tax, please go to http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/cto/iht.htm or seek advice from your solicitor.
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Why is it important to make a will and keep it up to date? |
Making a will is the only way to be absolutely certain that your money and your belongings go to the people and causes you care about. Once you have made a will, keeping it up to date is essential because if your circumstances change – through marriage, divorce or the birth of a child - your existing will may become out of date. You should review your will regularly to reflect any major life changes, preferably every five years and after every major life event or a major change in your financial circumstances. |
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What will it cost to make or amend a will? |
This will depend upon how complex your affairs are, but it may not be as expensive as you think. You can always request estimates from solicitors at no commitment.
In England and Wales contact the Law Society for details of a firm near you: www.lawsociety.org.uk, or call 020 7242 1222. In Scotland contact the Law Society of Scotland: www.lawscot.org.uk, or call 0131 226 7411.
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| How do I leave a gift in my will? |
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Including Self Help Africa in a will is a straightforward and cost-effective way to support our work. Please refer to our How to leave a legacy page where we have provided guidance. If you have any specific questions, please call our office on 01743 277170. We'll be happy to answer your questions.
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Do I have enough to leave a gift? |
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| A common misconception is that a legacy has to be a huge amount of money. This is not the case. Any gift left in a will, no matter how large or how small, will go a long way in the hands of people determined to beat poverty. |
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How much of my gift will be spent on administration costs? |
The last thing you want is for the money you entrust to us to be spent on administration costs. By working with local partners, Self Help Africa is able to direct the maximum amount of donor funds to where it matters - helping more families feed themselves all year round. For every £1 we spend on fundraising, we generate £14.50. |
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| Can I ensure that my gift is used for a particular project or country? |
You can, but it is better not to. Because the work that most needs our support changes over time, we would like to be able to use your gift where it will do the most good. Attaching conditions to your gift may hinder this. And, as you might live for decades after making your will, the precise project or type of work you specified may no longer exist by the time we receive your legacy. If you attach a binding condition to your legacy (e.g. “building wells in Togo”) and circumstances or projects change, sadly we may not be able to use your gift.
If you are particularly keen a particular aspect of our work, you can still express it as a non-binding preference, or request, rather than a condition. We will do our very best to abide by your wish if at all possible.
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Can I visit a project in Africa to see how my gift might be spent? |
Yes, we would be happy for you to visit. It may be possible to join an organised trip or for you to make your own arrangements, depending on staff commitments at the time. |
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What if I’ve already left a gift to Harvest Help in my will? |
In July 2008, Harvest Help merged with Self Help Development International. The merger furthers the aims of both charities to ensure that we reach more rural families. If you have already included a legacy to Harvest Help you do not need to change your will because our UK registered charity number remains the same (298830). |
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Do I have to tell Self Help Africa I’ve left a gift? |
No, the contents of your will are entirely confidential and it is up to you who you tell. However, it is really helpful for us to know about legacies in advance. It enables us to thank you and to keep you updated with news about our work. It is also helpful for us to know if our message is reaching people. Please visit the
request more information page to fill out a short form. |
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Any other questions?
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| If you have any other questions which have not been answered, please call 01743 277177 or email infouk@selfhelpafrica.net |
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