How and why should I make a will?
If you don’t have a will, your estate will be divided according to the law when you die. This could mean that your wishes are not carried out as you would want them to be. Having a Will, especially one written by a solicitor, is the only way of ensuring that your loved ones and chosen charities will be remembered as you wish.
What kind of gift could I make?
There are three main types of gift that you can leave in your will: –
- A percentage of your estate can make a big difference. You can leave a percentage of your estate after your family and friends are provided for. This is called a residuary gift.
- You can leave a pecuniary gift – which is a fixed sum of money.
- Or you could leave a specific gift such as a piece of jewellery, art or valuable item. All gifts are vitally important to The Big Cat Sanctuary. However, residuary gifts (a percentage of your estate) are particularly helpful as they usually maintain or increase their value over time and will remain proportional to the value of your estate as time goes by.
How will my gift be used?
Your legacy will live on for generations and enables us to continue our vital work in Welfare, Breeding, Education and Conservation. This is the care of our cats, providing a safety net for endangered species into the future, educating the next generation about co-existing with big cats and wildlife as well as directly funding in-situ conservation projects around the globe.
I’m not wealthy – would anything I leave be useful?
We’re very grateful for every gift we receive, no matter how large or small. All the legacies we receive are used to help care for our cats and fund conservation work, so even a small percentage of your estate would mean a lot to us.
I’ve already made a Will. Do I need to make a new one?
If you decide to leave a gift in your will, you may not need to make a new one. Small changes to your will can be stated in a document called a codicil, which is read in conjunction with your will. However, your solicitor will need our registered address and charity details, which can be found at the bottom of this form.
Do I need a solicitor to make a will?
We would encourage you to discuss your will with your solicitor to ensure that all legal requirements are met and that your will is valid. A properly drafted will can help reduce the amount of tax payable on your estate and increase the value of the assets that you pass on to the people you care about.
Sample wording for your will:
If you do decide to leave a gift in your will to The Big Cat Sanctuary, you may wish to discuss the following wording with either Tiger Law or your own solicitor. As mentioned earlier, to leave a residuary gift, choose the percentage of your estate that you would like to leave to The Big Cat Sanctuary.
To leave a pecuniary gift, choose a specific sum of money you would like to leave instead.
‘I give ______% of my residuary estate or £ ______ to The Big Cat Sanctuary of The Big Cat Sanctuary, Headcorn Road, Ashford, Kent TN27 8PJ, registered charity number 1104420 for its charitable purposes and I further direct that the receipt of the Treasurer or other proper officer of The Big Cat Sanctuary for the time being shall be a full and sufficient discharge for the said legacy.’
The Big Cat Sanctuary
Headcorn Road, Ashford, Kent TN27 8PJ
Registered charity no. 1104420