Frequently asked questions

It's perfectly normal to have lots of questions when creating or updating your will to include a gift to the Royal Osteoporosis Society.

We're here to help you with any questions you may have.

What information do I need about the Royal Osteoporosis Society?

You need to include our name, address and registered charity number:

Royal Osteoporosis Society
St James House
The Square
Lower Bristol Road
Bath
BA2 3BH

Registered charity number 1102712 in England and Wales and SC039755 in Scotland.

If I already have a will, do I need a new one to include a gift?

No. If you already have a will and would like to leave a gift in your will to the Royal Osteoporosis Society your solicitor can help in drawing up a Codicil. This is a legal document that allows you to make minor alterations to your existing will without redrafting the whole document.

How do I choose a solicitor?

The Law Society provides a free Find a Solicitor service for anyone looking for information about organisations or people providing legal services.

• To access this service in England and Wales go to www.lawsociety.org.uk or call 020 7242 1222
• To access this service in Scotland go to www.lawscot.org.uk or call 013 1226 7411
• To access this service in Northern Ireland go to www.lawsoc-ni.org or call 028 9023 1614

What about tax?

Gifts in wills to charities are not taxed.

If your estate is eligible for inheritance tax, any gift you leave to the Royal Osteoporosis Society is deducted from your estate before tax is calculated.

For example: if your estate is £20,000 over the tax-free allowance, and you leave the Royal Osteoporosis Society £2,000, inheritance tax is only payable on £18,000.

It's also worth noting that if 10% or more of an estate is left to a charity, the rest of the estate is taxed at a lower rate (36% rather than 40%).

What types of gift can I leave to the Royal Osteoporosis Society?

You can leave the Royal Osteoporosis Society a gift in your will in a number of different ways.

A portion of your estate
This is a percentage or share of your estate to. For example, you could leave 10% or a fifth of the share of your total estate. This is known as a residuary gift.

A lump sum
You might choose to leave a fixed amount of money to the Royal Osteoporosis Society, such as £100, £1,000, £10,000. This is known as a pecuniary gift.

A special item
Valuable items, for example you might choose to leave an antique, jewellery or shares to us in your will. This known as a specific gift.

How do I word a gift in my will to the Royal Osteoporosis Society?

We have a helpful document that provides example wording for a leaving a gift in your will to the Royal Osteoporosis Society.

Can't find your answer here? Our friendly supporter team can help. Contact Liz Parry, Legacy Manager at Liz.Parry@theros.org.uk or 01761 473261