Legacy

Creating a Will raises some very personal questions…

What matters most to me?
How can I leave a legacy?
Who can I trust to uphold my wishes when I’m gone?

These are all questions that you think about in your own time, on your own terms, and very likely with your family and loved ones in mind. This might be a difficult topic to bring up and might leave you a bit uncomfortable at first.

Making a Will is easy to put off, but it’s the only way to be sure your wishes are carried out when you are gone. Your Will is an opportunity to contribute and make a difference in causes and the lives of people you most care about. Once you’ve made a Will, you and your loved ones can enjoy the peace of mind knowing your wishes are made clear and will be carried out.

Every adult should have a will, regardless of age, income or wealth; it is the only way of ensuring your wishes are met after your death. Gifts left to a charity in a Will, usually known as legacies, don’t need to be large and they don’t need to prevent you from taking care of your loved ones. In fact, a legacy of the right amount can ease the burden of inheritance tax.

If you already have a will, amending it to include JAM is straightforward. If you don’t have a will, having one written is a lot easier than you think. If you have any questions about making a Will, or about JAM and why our work is so important, please do get in touch.

JAM (Joint Aid Management) International is a humanitarian aid agency, bringing aid to Africa’s most desperate people. JAM relies on the support gathered by our affiliate offices around the world of people like you to accomplish the goals set to Help Africa Help Itself. By adding us to your will, you can help us continue our work in Africa, leaving a legacy long after you have been laid to rest.

Family can still come first

You don’t have to choose between looking after loved ones and making a difference with JAM. You can use your Will to do both – for instance by leaving a gift to JAM after friends and family have been taken care of. Every gift, large or even as small as £5 has the power to make a lasing difference.

Your Will, your wishes

Making a Will is easy to put off, but it’s the only way to be sure your wishes are carried out. Without one, you may leave your loved ones facing uncertainty and your wishes to leave a legacy may never be carried out.

Good financial sense

Leaving a gift to a charity in your will can reduce the amount your estate pays in Inheritance Tax, meaning you may have more to gain and contribute in your legacy to your family and loved ones, and the causes and people you care about.

Easing the Pressure

Once you’ve made a Will, you and your loved ones can enjoy the peace of mind knowing your wishes are made clear and will be carried out.

Step-by-step practical steps to make it happen.

Step 1 – Use our Will planner

Use our Will planner, to add up the estimated value of your estate (that’s everything you’ve saved and own) and make a list of people and organisations you’d like to leave money, property or possessions to. Appoint one or more Executors (up to four) to carry out the terms of the Will. This can be a relative, friend or legal adviser. It can even be us, in certain circumstances. Please contact us if you would like to discuss appointing us as your Executor.

Step 2 – Draw up or update your Will

Visit a legal adviser to draw up or update your Will. If you don’t have one, you can find one through the Law Society. If you’re including a gift to us, please use our guide with suggested wording

Step 3 – Safely store your Will

Make sure your Will is stored in a safe place and that someone you trust knows where it is. It’s also important to make a copy of your Will for your own records. Your legal adviser will often store your original Will free of charge, or you can use your local Probate Registry.

Step 4 – Complete our pledge form

If you do decide to remember us in your Will, thank you. This means it’s incredibly valuable for us to know your intentions, so if you are happy to share, please download a pledge form to let us know.

Thank you for considering leaving a gift to JAM in your Will.