We provide advice on legacy administration for charities as beneficiaries of an estate. Our dedicated team of contentious trust and probate specialists also provide clear, practical and cost-effective advice to charities faced with legacy disputes.
Legacy income is vital to many charities. Our legacy administration team can assist you with advice on administering an estate with charitable beneficiaries, obtaining grants of probate/letters of administration, considering and advising on estate accounts, tax advice on complex estates, and representing your interests to ensure the charity obtains the maximum benefit and impact possible from the legacy.
Sometimes legacies are disputed, and knowing the strengths and potential costs of a claim at the earliest opportunity will enable you to make informed decisions as to how best to use the charity’s resources in protecting your legacies.
In general, charities should not surrender all or part of their legacy unless it is to compromise a genuine dispute or has been authorised by the Charity Commission under section 106 of the Charities Act 2011.
Numerous factors will weigh into the decision of charity trustees as to whether, and if so how, to resolve a dispute. Cost is a significant factor, but so too is the potential for negative publicity and the possible knock-on impact on legacy income more generally. The most important considerations are to ensure the steps taken are both within the charity’s powers and in its best interests.
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