Why should I leave a legacy to Arthritis Ireland?

Leaving a gift in your will, means that you can make a wonderful contribution that costs nothing during your lifetime, but will mean everything to someone else someday.

 

Plus, it will make you feel good at this present time, knowing that you’ll be changing and genuinely improving the lives of those living with arthritis.

 

Many of us will be in a position to give more in our will than we ever could while alive. The truth of it is that leaving a legacy won’t cost you anything in your own lifetime, but it will make a fantastic difference to those living with arthritis in Ireland.

 

How to leave a gift in your will

Remember, your family always comes first.

 

It is normal when deciding on your will that you want to do everything you can to ensure that your family’s needs are met and that you have done everything you can to protect them.

 

But when they have been cared for, a gift to Arthritis Ireland will also mean that you are helping the generations to follow living with arthritis with your kindness.

 

Before you do anything, we suggest that you talk to your your solicitor for advice and to discuss your options.

 

Remember your will is confidential and we would never ever share your details with anyone or with any other organisation. Ever.

 

Let’s be honest, the language used in wills can very often be a bit off-putting, but behind all of the legal lingo, it is actually quite straightforward!

 

What are the main gifts you can leave in your will?

Contrary to overall public belief, making a will can often be a straightforward process. It is such a help to those left behind to have things in order and not have to deal with the time-consuming and distressing legalities when there is no will in place.

 

After looking after your loved ones, the following legacies can be made:

 

• A Pecuniary Bequest: whereby a fixed sum of money is left to your charity of choice.
• A Residuary Bequest: whereby the whole or a percentage of your estate is left to your charity of choice.

If you have already made a will and wish to amend it to include a gift to Arthritis Ireland, your solicitor can advise you about adding a simple amendment (Codicil) which should not incur any major costs.

To help here is an explanation of each type of gift and an example of the wording you can use in your will:

 

Residuary Gift (what resides of your estate)

If you choose to leave a gift of all or what’s left of your estate, this is called a residuary gift. To do this and leave a residuary gift to us in your will, you could use the following wording:

“I give to Arthritis Ireland of 1 Clanwilliam Court, Grand Canal Quay, Dublin 2, all (or a fraction) of the residue of my estate whatsoever and wheresoever, and I direct that the receipt of the Treasurer or other officer for the time being of the said Organisation shall be a full and sufficient discharge of the same.”

 

Pecuniary Gift (a certain amount of money)

If you decide to leave a gift of a certain amount of money, or item, this is called a pecuniary gift. To do this and leave a pecuniary gift to us in your will, you can use the following wording:

“I give the sum of € ________, or I bequeath (the item specified) to Arthritis Ireland of 1 Clanwilliam Court, Grand Canal Quay, Dublin 2, and I direct that the Treasurer or other proper officer for the time being of the said Organisation shall be proper and sufficient discharge of the same.”

 

The choice is entirely yours, but a solicitor will be best placed to help you decide which one is the most appropriate for you.

 

And what if you already have a will?

Well, if you do and you wish to amend it to include a gift to us, you can use a codicil form to do so. A codicil simply changes or amends your will.

 

Just fill out the form, including all of the changes you wish to make to your will, make sure it is signed, dated and witnessed and then send it on to the person who currently is in possession of your will. This will most likely be your executor or solicitor. We would always advise you talk to your solicitor before completing a codicil.

 

You are under no obligation, whatsoever

Even if you tell us that you plan to leave us a gift, please remember that you are under no obligation to follow through on this.

You are free to change your mind at any time. We will absolutely promise to respect and protect your decision at all times. We want to be here to help you in any way we can.

 

Let us try to answer some questions you might have...

I don't have much to leave, so what's the point?

You most definitely do not have to be wealthy for your will to make a huge difference to future generations who will live with arthritis. A few hundred euros, a few thousand euros, it will all help us to continue investing in crucial, life-changing research.

Is it possible for my legacy to fund a specific project?

Research priorities change all the time as we continue to build our knowledge of arthritis. This means that it is unlikely that we can promise you that we will fund one very specific area of research. However, we would be delighted to speak with you about how your gift can be put towards research into one particular type of arthritis.

 

I need more information before I can make a decision; what can I do?

 

For further information or to speak, in total confidence, without any obligation about the possibilities of leaving a legacy to Arthritis Ireland, please contact: Alison McDonnell at [email protected]

She will be very happy to answer any questions that you might have. She could even arrange for you to meet with some of our research professionals if you want to know more about how your gift will be used.

You may decide to let us know that you have remembered us in your will or you may prefer to keep this decision to yourself; just know we are here if you need us.

And that we are truly deeply grateful that you even considered us.

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