Legacies Made Simple: From Will to Impact

Legacy giving is one of the most meaningful ways supporters can leave a lasting mark on the causes they care about. For charities, though, it’s not just about receiving these gifts — it’s equally about managing them with care, honouring supporters’ wishes, and protecting legacies for the future.


That’s why we built FirstClass.  Once a will is written and a gift is pledged, charities need the right tools to manage the legacy when it’s received - from handling complex estates to recording details and valuing gifts with clarity and care. And if you’d like to explore why a dedicated legacy management system makes such a difference, take a look at our article The Hidden Power of Legacy Income. 


Why Legacy Giving Matters


Each year, legacy gifts bring billions of pounds to UK charities, providing stability and funding vital work across communities. For many supporters, these gifts are often the largest single contribution a supporter makes, providing long‑term stability for the causes they care about.


That’s why legacy giving matters: because it safeguards supporter intentions and ensures charities can plan for the future.


And yet, despite their power, many gifts never reach charities. Wills can be complex, estates take time to settle, and without careful stewardship, legacies can be delayed, disputed, or even lost. When that happens, it’s not only funding that disappears - it’s the supporter’s story, their intention, and their impact.



The Will Gap


The reality is that millions of estates are distributed without reflecting personal wishes - simply because there’s no valid will in place. Research shows that only around 41% of UK adults have written one. That leaves families vulnerable to conflict and charities missing out on legacies that could have made a lasting difference.


It’s a big gap between intention and action, and closing it matters - for loved ones and for the causes people care about.


Free Online Will Services


The good news? Writing a will has never been easier. Many charities now offer free online will‑writing services, designed to remove the barriers that stop people from getting started. Supporters can create a legally valid will from the comfort of home, with clear guidance at each step.


These services also make it simpler to include a gift to charity, ensuring that personal values and commitments are reflected in a lasting legacy. By lowering the hurdles and encouraging thoughtful planning, charities are helping more people take control of their future and make a meaningful impact.


Why Correct Completion Matters


Of course, ease of access doesn’t mean the rules disappear. Online wills must still meet the same legal requirements as traditional paper wills, and mistakes can lead to significant problems. Common pitfalls include:


  • Invalid witnessing - witnesses must be present together, and beneficiaries cannot act as witnesses.
  • Missing formalities - errors with signatures, dates, or execution can invalidate the document.
  • Contestation risks - unclear wording, undue influence, or questions about mental capacity can lead to disputes.
  • Outdated documents - life changes (marriage, divorce, new children, asset changes) can make a will contested or irrelevant.


Getting it right


Creating a will isn’t just paperwork - it’s an act of care for the people and causes you love. Done properly, it ensures your wishes are honoured, your family is spared unnecessary conflict, and your legacy continues as you intended.


Here are some practical ways to make sure your will stands strong:


  • Seek expert guidance: a solicitor or professional ensures clarity and validity.
  • Be unmistakably specific: avoid vague wording that invites disputes.
  • Choose impartial witnesses: never beneficiaries.
  • Sign, date, and witness flawlessly: even small errors can cast doubt.
  • Review and update regularly: life changes should be reflected.
  • Store securely: keep the original safe and accessible.
  • Open the conversation: share intentions with family or executors to prevent surprises.


The Bigger Picture


At the end of the day, creating a will is more than a legal step - it’s a way of caring for the people and causes you love. Done right, it protects your family from conflict and ensures your legacy makes the difference you intended.


For charities, this isn’t just about income. It’s about helping supporters protect their legacy with care and clarity. And once that will is in place, the next step is to ensure that every gift is managed properly. That’s where FirstClass comes in - giving teams the tools to handle complex estates with ease, record specific details, and work out valuations so they know what to expect and when.


From will to impact, we help charities honour every legacy with confidence.  Want to know how FirstClass can support your organisation?  Contact our team to find out more


Two people looking at a screen with interest

Legacy Budgets: Clarity for Future Spend

By Fiona Paton • April 21, 2026
When you’re managing legacies, it’s not just the income that matters - it’s the commitments, too. Future solicitor fees, surveyor costs, maintenance charges, promised funds to branches… they all add up, and they all need to be tracked somewhere sensible. That’s exactly where Legacy Budgets steps in. What Legacy Budgets Actually Do Legacy Budgets lets you record a budgeted amount for any planned or upcoming expenditure linked to a legacy. It could be professional fees, ongoing maintenance, or even funds earmarked for a specific centre or project. Many charities track this in their finance system, but having it visible within the legacy record itself gives you context you don’t get anywhere else. Why It’s Worth Using Think of it as a financial snapshot that sits right alongside the case details. It’s simple, but it’s powerful, and helps you: See what’s been committed before invoices arrive Keep teams aligned on expected spend Avoid surprises later in the process Maintain a clearer picture of each legacy’s net value The Legacy Budget Browser: Your Overview at a Glance If you want to see all budgets in one place, the Legacy Budget Browser is your new best friend. It shows: Current budgeted amounts Amounts already spent Remaining balance Related legator, legacy, and payee details It’s ideal when you’re not sure which legacy a budget belongs to, when you want to see everything linked to a particular payee, or when you need quick reporting using selections. To access it: From the Home window, click Browse or press Ctrl + B Double‑click Legacy Budget Browser Apply your filters using Selections and hit Apply Selections How to Switch It On Legacy Budgets isn’t enabled by default. To activate it, set the ShowLegacyBudgets system parameter to Yes in the Maintain System Parameters window, then restart the system. If you’d like budget information to appear in additional grids, we are only too happy to help configure that. Where You’ll Find It Once enabled, you’ll see a Budgets tab on both the Legator and Legacy windows - making it easy to view, add, and manage budgets right where you need them.

ILM 2026: What we’re most excited about this year

By Fiona Paton • March 25, 2026
We’re officially counting down to the ILM Annual Conference on 8 May at 133 Houndsditch, London. It’s always one of the best days in the legacy calendar - a chance to reconnect in person with friends and colleagues across the sector, soak up engaging speaker sessions, spark new ideas, and celebrate the incredible work happening in legacies at the ILM Awards. What's New The FirstClass team will be on hand to share the latest on how FirstClass is evolving, with the launch of the first iteration of FirstClass 5 Essentials coming very soon. We’ll also be unveiling a couple of new services we’re delighted to introduce, including Data Cleansing and RCS Business Messaging - the natural successor to SMS. Data Cleansing For charities and non‑profits, supporter data is the backbone of effective legacy giving. Yet while nearly half of organisations want to use insights to improve services, more than half are held back by CRM challenges. Poor‑quality data can have serious consequences - from losing touch with potential legacy supporters to missing opportunities for deeper engagement, and even risking compliance issues. That’s where our Data Cleansing service comes in. We help charities restore confidence in their supporter information by improving the quality of addresses, emails, and phone numbers. The result is cleaner, compliant, and more reliable data that strengthens legacy communications and ensures every supporter feels valued and connected. RCS Business Messaging Charities are experiencing a major shift. Supporters now expect digital‑first, mobile‑first communication - they want interactions that feel personal, transparent, and effortless. Social media is great for sharing impact stories, but when it comes to deeper, more meaningful conversations, like inspiring someone to leave a gift in their Will, charities need something more powerful and more trusted. RCS delivers on‑brand, secure, and interactive messages straight to the place that matters most - your supporters’ phones. Unlike SMS, RCS allows content‑rich, multimedia, and interactive messaging, helping charities build stronger, more personal connections with legacy supporters. And the results speak for themselves: up to three times higher engagement than SMS, read rates of 60–80%, and adoption by hundreds of leading brands. RCS is redefining how charities nurture relationships and inspire legacy giving. ILM Awards As always, a big highlight of the conference is celebrating excellence across the legacy sector, and we’re looking forward to cheering on all the ILM members who’ve been nominated. Good luck to all the nominees - we’re excited to celebrate your achievements and hear about the great work happening across the sector. Make sure to drop by on the day to hear how FirstClass is now delivering even more for its clients, and in the meantime, you can view the complete list of speakers and topics for the day at the ILM Annual Conference website .
People looking at a meeting on a screen

Open Conversations. Shared Solutions.

By Fiona Paton • March 25, 2026
At FirstClass, we’ve always believed our product should grow with the charities and non-profits who use it. Your input has shaped the way we build, and now we want to take that collaboration one step further. Monthly Check-in Calls We’re introducing monthly check‑in calls - an open forum where you can drop in, chat with the team and other customers, and explore anything to do with the product. No agenda, no pressure. Just space for conversation, questions, and shared ideas. These sessions give you the chance to: Share your priorities and help shape how we address different aspects of the system Stay informed on technical updates, including external systems like SQL or Outlook What’s new across our Team, billing, and the wider company See functionality demonstrated live - if you’re unsure how something works, we’ll show you Updates on features and fixes in the latest releases Ask questions on any part of the system Whether you join for five minutes or stay for the full hour, this is your space to connect with us. It’s a chance to explore challenges together, share experiences, and help shape a product that truly works for charities. We’ll host these sessions monthly on Microsoft Teams, giving you regular opportunities to drop in and join the conversation. Join our team for open, honest discussions that help us learn, improve, and grow alongside you. The next session is on Thursday, 21 st May at 10:45, you can sign up using the Save the Date button below.