Ask Sarah Anderson from Cancer Research UK your questions about leaving legacy gifts in your Will

What would CRUK prefer, a direct debit weekly, or a lump sum in my will - I would have thought a direct debit can provide more adequate forecasting financially, but lump sums are less easier to predict for long term financial planning.

I have left a significant donation to a small charity very close to my heart, they do great work, what would happen if there is not enough left from my estate, and how usually would the executors deal with my bequests - after bills are paid, solicitors fees are paid - how are bequests dealt with is there a order of importance, or would they pro-rata my estate to all beneficiaries ? Does this need clarifying in my will ?

I have left £5000 in my will to Cancer Research, but feel I need to be more specific, as I want it to go to researching into pancreatic cancer, rather than being a general donation, which goes to a cause much closer to home, can this be done ?

Where can I find a 'leaderboard' of charities who give the largest percentages to research/purchasing direct for good causes and less for admin etc

How do I have assurance that my bequest will be actioned, so is there any independent audit of donations, and published findings?

It worries me greatly the number of stories I have read about the top tier management in large charities being paid ridiculous salaries. If I were choosing to leave money to cancer research I would need to be certain that 'research' is exactly where the vast majority of my legacy would be going, rather than on salaries for fatcats - can you clarify numbers here please?
Also is it really true that every donation counts, no matter how small - or are you really just seeking those who can leave large sums?

I would like to leave something to cancer research but would i be able to say i want it to go to research rather than fundraising? And would my wish be granted?

I already support Kidney Cancer UK. How is Cancer Research UK different?

I have 5 questions
1 where was all the so called help when my husband was dying< His doctor told us there was no research into his cancer as it was rare and not a trendy cancer and there probably never be any research or trial drugs.
2 So who decides what cancers are worth researching?

We couldn’t get any support form big charities like Macmillan or Marie Curie because my husband was terminal so Macmillan didn’t support Marie curie people in our area /postcode.

3 Why is there a lottery on the support and the research?

4 How much of what is made in a cancer shop goes to the actual charity because when I asked in the shop, I was told 17p in the pound. 17p in out of £1 !!!!

5 Why on earth should I consider leaving any money to any cancer trust?

I am not expecting any answers. I have not had them in five years.

What is the best wording to use when you don't know how much money you will have to leave to multiple charities?

i wouldnt leave any money to cancer research or any other big charity ,as the managers all get good salaries. me i am leaving anything i have left to either celia hammond cat trust or the P.D.S.A. some one who is not given money to by the government .i donate goods to the charity shop of cancer research.thats good enough for me......i know cancer is a big thing .yet they still asking for money for the forth coming cure.....

What percentage of any legacy would be spent on fund-raising and administration and what percentage on frontline research?

are posts working with the charity paid according to what is considered to be a fair scale, or do you negotiate with individuals to finalise their salaries?

My question is- why are the directors of charities paid so much? Don't say that it's to get the best, because the hard slog is done by volunteers, not by the paid people at the top; they're just pen pushers and freebie lovers. Being the Prime Minister of a country is far more important than being a director of a charity and that position is poorly paid, in comparison.

David Miliband is reported to be paid $500,000 a year by the charity job he took, when he left this country in a huff because his brother won the Labour leadership. International Rescue, my ar*e? Isn't that the job of Thunderbirds!!!! All these high salaries means less for the actual purpose of the charity, which is why I only give to local small charities which are mainly volunteer based.

Unfortunately the recent case(s?) of charities fighting relatives over a legacy has left a rather nasty taste.
Ditto the salaries of some CEO's. I understand that one has to pay for top people but when some CEO's receive eye-watering sums, it puts me off donating to that charity.
I am not keen on the idea of a percentage being given to charity in my will.
As I trust my family implicitly I will ask them to donate to a charity (or two) on my behalf - they know the charities that I currently support and that are dear to me. This way, they are comfortable with the amount they donate and I know that the money will arrive at the charity.

What percentage of any donation is spent on research and personnel and how much is spent on fund raising?

Is it advisable to nominate more than one charity in case one of them folds or receives bad publicity due to mismanagement or unsavoury behaviour of its members?

Are the funds bequeathed used for specific projects? Is the gifter identifiable?

What percentage of my donation goes to the cause?

Can you stipulate how you wish your legacy is spent, for example, can you ask it is spent on research rather than fund-raising?

I will have very little to leave as my small nuclear family will necessarily always come first, particularly as I now finally have a long awaited and cherished little grandson whose future I will definitely want to help towards. I just wondered if even a very small donation to CRUK would be helpful or might seem too embarrassing paltry and mean to even consider?

How do I know WHICH cancer charity to choose? My mother had pancreatic cancer, my father has just been diagnosed with prostate cancer. Marie Curie nurses, and the local hospice, were both very helpful when my mother was ill, at the end of her life. Is it best to support a charity like CRUK, or a more local/specific cancer charity? At the moment I try to support all of them, but if leaving money in my will, it might be easier to support one or two.

Is leaving a legacy in a will using these free wills supported by charities, equally as good as using a solicitor direct.

What amount is one expected to leave? Is there a set amount? What happens if there isn't enough money in the estate to cover the amount promised when you die?

Is the legacy liable to tax?