Can You Leave Specific Gifts in a Will?

A Will can do more than simply divide an estate between beneficiaries. It can also be used to leave particular items or sums of money to specific people. These are commonly known as specific gifts or specific legacies.

Specific gifts can include jewellery, sentimental possessions, cash sums, vehicles, collections or even property.

Clear drafting is important. The gift should be described accurately so there is no uncertainty about what is being left and to whom.

Where wording is unclear, disputes or delay can arise during the administration of the estate.

It is also important to consider what happens if the item is no longer owned at the time of death. In some circumstances, a specific gift may fail if the asset has been sold, transferred or no longer forms part of the estate.

Specific gifts should also be considered alongside the residual estate, so that the Will still works properly once those gifts have been dealt with.

At MJV Solicitors, we help clients draft Wills clearly so that specific gifts are identified properly and their wider estate is distributed as intended.

For more information about making or updating a Will, read our complete guide to Wills and Estate Planning.