ING A LEGACY TO PINALL FOUNDATION LEAVING A LEGACY TO THE ASPINALL FOUNDATION

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1 ING A LEGACY TO PINALL FOUNDATION LEAVING A LEGACY TO

2 IS THERE A PLACE FOR US IN YOUR WILL? When it comes to your Will it's only right that your family and friends come first in your thoughts. But that doesn't mean you can't also leave a gift to a good cause close to your heart. CONTENTS 1. Is there a place for us in your Will? 2. Create your Will 3. List your Assets 4. The Will making process 5. Updating your Will 6. Types of legacy gifts A gift in your will is one of the most important gifts that can be made to The Aspinall Foundation. For many of our supporters, it is a unique way of expressing a genuine and lasting commitment that will help protect the rare and endangered species we have in our care. The charity's ultimate goal is, and always has been, to return these wild animals to safe areas in their natural habitat. Making a Will and keeping it up to date is very important - it puts you in control and removes any uncertainty for those left behind. The links below provide practical information on creating and updating your Will. A will is a personal thing We always love to hear that you've left a gift - but there's no pressure to say so. We respect your privacy and we don't expect you to tell us. It's a private and personal matter. And it's your decision and you need to make it in your own time. Should you choose to remember us, then we will certainly remember you. 7. Examples of Wording 8. A case study 9. Glossary If you have any questions or would like to talk to someone about leaving a gift your in Will please contact us on (Mon-Fri 9am to 5pm) or at supportercare@aspinallfoundation.org 02 03

3 CREATE YOUR WILL When you are making your Will there are several things to be considered, such as: making a list of your assets thinking about the way in which you want to divide your estate thinking about who to appoint as executor In this section you ll find information to guide you through the will-making process along with an example list of assets. LIST YOUR ASSETS Before arranging to have a Will written, it is worth drawing up a list of your assets (and your debts) which should give you a clearer idea of what your final estate will look like. You could set it out like the one below: Assets House Cash savings Bank/building society/savings account Shares/Bonds Life policies Pension funds Chattels - household contents Jewellery Debts Mortgage Loans Credit Cards WOULD ADVISE THAT ANYONE MAKING OR UPDATING A WILL SHOULD SEEK INDEPENDENT ADVICE FROM A PRACTISING SOLICITOR OR BANK TRUST COMPANY

4 THE WILL MAKING PROCESS Making a Will and keeping it up to date is very important - it puts you in control. Follow the process below to make sure your Will reflects your wishes. WOULD ADVISE THAT ANYONE MAKING OR UPDATING A WILL SHOULD SEEK INDEPENDENT ADVICE FROM A PRACTISING SOLICITOR OR BANK TRUST COMPANY. 1. Assess your estate. Make a list of all your significant possessions. For example, your house, car, savings and insurance, and other items of value. 2. Decide who you would like to benefit. You can choose to share your estate between anyone you like - your spouse, family or friends. You could also leave a gift to a charity or good cause, such as The Aspinall Foundation, after your family and friends have all been properly provided for. 3. Decide what sorts of gift to leave. You can leave any kind of gift: a share of your estate (residuary), an amount of money (pecuniary) or specific items. Your solicitor will also be able to advise you on the benefits of different types of legacy. 4. Choose your executors. You should now select between one and four people who will be able and willing to ensure the wishes within your Will are carried out. You can choose your bank, your solicitor, or willing friends or relatives. 5. Make a list of questions. You may want to ask your solicitor some questions - it will save you money if you do it before your visit. 6. Arrange to see your solicitor to make your Will. This shouldn t take long - but it s important to involve a legal professional to draw it up for you. If all the legal formalities are not correctly followed, your Will could be declared invalid. 7. Ensure that your Will is correctly drawn up. When you are happy with the contents of your Will, make sure that it is executed and witnessed properly. Your solicitor can advise you on this. 8. Keep your Will up to date. You can update your Will at any time to reflect changes in your circumstances - such as the sale of your house, or the death of friends or loved ones. Your solicitor can advise you on the best way to change your Will - either by re-writing it or by adding a codicil

5 UPDATING YOUR WILL Be sure to keep your will current. Keeping your Will current is just as important as making one in the first place. It really is the only way to ensure that your final estate is distributed to your beneficiaries in exactly the way that you want it to be. Keep your will up to date Preparing for the future It s vital to review your Will regularly to ensure that it reflects your current wishes and circumstances. No one likes to think about their own death, but just a short time spent talking to your solicitor and sorting out your affairs now could prevent uncertainty for those left behind. It will also mean that you, not the Government, will decide what happens to your property. Generally you should review your Will every time a life event happens. For example: WOULD ADVISE THAT ANYONE MAKING OR UPDATING A WILL SHOULD SEEK INDEPENDENT ADVICE FROM A PRACTISING SOLICITOR OR BANK TRUST COMPANY. 06 you marry you have a child/grandchildren there is a death in your family a change in your financial circumstances major changes in the types or rates of taxation you are going to live abroad you separate or divorce If you should die without making a Will (in legal terms this is called dying intestate), the law will determine how your property (or estate) is divided. This can cause great uncertainty and distress for everyone concerned. If, however, you make a Will, you ll know your loved ones will have the comfort of knowing your exact wishes during a traumatic time. And you ll have the peace of mind of knowing exactly what will happen to your estate. 07

6 EXAMPLES OF WORDING Should you wish to remember The Aspinall Foundation in your Will you might wish to take the following wording suggestions for a residuary bequest and a pecuniary bequest to your solicitor. They will ensure that your wishes are accurately followed: Residuary Bequest TYPES OF LEGACY GIFTS There are a few different kinds of gift you can leave in your Will. The most common are described below. Pecuniary Bequest Specific Bequest Contingent Bequest Residuary bequest (a proportion) 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 The Aspinall Foundation (Registered Charity No ) of Port Lympne, Lympne, Kent CT21 4PD and the receipt of the Trustees or the proper officer for the time being of The Aspinall Foundation shall be a complete discharge to my Executors. Pecuniary bequest (a set sum) I give the sum of... pounds to The Aspinall Foundation (Registered Charity No ) of Port Lympne, Lympne, Kent CT21 4PD and the receipt of the Trustees or other proper officer for the time being of The Aspinall Foundation shall be a complete discharge to my Executors. A gift of the remainder of the estate after all other bequests have been made and debts cleared is called a residuary bequest. A gift of a fixed sum of money in your Will is called a pecuniary bequest. The value of pecuniary legacies will decrease over time, as the cost of living increases. A particular named item left as a gift in your Will is known as a specific bequest - for example, a piece of jewellery. A gift in your Will that depends upon the occurrence of an event which may or may not happen. For example, a bequest to a charity which applies only if other beneficiaries named in the Will die before the testator (person who made the Will). It is important to ensure that the following clause is inserted, 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

7 CASE STUDY WHY COLIN PEACHER PLEDGED A GIFT TO I was so pleased to be given this opportunity to tell you about a special way I have chosen to support The Aspinall Foundation for the future. As I am sure that, just like me, you feel so passionate about what the charity has achieved. As a young child I was always fascinated by animals, especially those that were wild and exotic. This interest developed further when I watched David Attenborough s first major nature documentary, Zoo Quest which in the early 1960 s was the most popular wildlife programme. Then when on a holiday to South Africa, I was shocked by the fact that I saw no black rhino, in what is their native home! I first visited Howletts in the 1980 s, later also making trips to Port Lympne and I was struck by the pioneering nature of the work that John Aspinall was doing. I think, for me, it was that the animals being cared for were not here for the entertainment of others, although they are fun to watch, but that their conservation was, and still is at the heart of everything the charity is doing, whether this is in Kent or overseas. I genuinely believe that nature is our inheritance; as nature s heirs we should do everything we can to conserve the natural habitat and animals with which we share this earth. This is why I would like to ask you if you would consider doing something that I have done - leaving a gift in your Will to The Aspinall Foundation. Even if you don t think you will have much to leave, you would be surprised how little it takes to transform an animal s life. Animals like Nkosi the black rhino born in January this year who I met recently on a trip to Port Lympne - he is one of 19 black rhino that The Aspinall Foundation is protecting. Black rhinos are critically endangered. Numbers have declined by a staggering 90% over the last three generations and it is estimated that only around 3500 individuals remain. I hope you will consider taking some time to think about your future, and that of the work The Aspinall Foundation is doing to protect endangered animals worldwide. Thank you, Colin Peacher Legacy Pledger, The Aspinall Foundation 08 09

8 GLOSSARY The legal terms used in the process of making or updating a Will can be confusing. Here we explain the most common words and phrases that you may come across. Beneficiary - Any person or organisation to whom you wish to leave a legacy or bequest (gift) in your Will. Codicil - Any change or addition that you make to your Will. It must follow the same legal formalities as the original Will. Residuary bequest - A gift of the remainder of the estate after all other bequests have been made and debts cleared. Specific bequest - A particular named item left as a gift in your Will - for example, a piece of jewellery. Contingent bequest - A gift in your Will which depends upon the occurrence of an event which may or may not happen. For example - a bequest to a charity which applies only if other beneficiaries named in the Will die before the testator (person who made the Will). Testator - A person who has made a Will. Estate - The total sum of your possessions, property and money (minus debts) left after your death. Executor(s) - Person(s) appointed by you to make sure the wishes in your Will are carried out. Intestate - The condition of dying without having made a Will. Legacy - A bequest or gift left in your Will. It can be in the form of money, property, stocks and shares or possessions. Life interest - The right of a beneficiary to benefit from part or all of an estate for their lifetime. Pecuniary bequest - A gift of a fixed sum of money in your Will. Probate - The legal procedure after death which confirms your Will is valid and confirms the executors authority to carry out your wishes. WOULD ADVISE THAT ANYONE MAKING OR UPDATING A WILL SHOULD SEEK INDEPENDENT ADVICE FROM A PRACTISING SOLICITOR OR BANK TRUST COMPANY

9 ( 1 am If you have further questions which have not been answered here, please give our Supporter Care team a call on , Monday to Friday 9am - 5pm or supportercare@aspinallfoundation.org The Aspinall Foundation Registered Charity No The Howletts Wild Animal Trust Limited Registered company no , Registered charity no Registered office: Port Lympne Wild Animal Park, Lympne, Nr Hythe, Kent, CT21 4PD