Seven out of ten Britons fail to make a will before they die. This can lead to problems within the family, unnecessarily high tax bills, or if there are no surviving relatives, the entire estate being handed over to the Inland Revenue. By making a properly planned will you can ensure that the people and causes you have cared about during your lifetime will benefit as you wish. Leaving a legacy to St Peter's makes a huge difference to the College and its students and any bequest you make will be completely free from Inheritance Tax.
A legacy you have received may also benefit the College tax effectively, and is an ideal way to support the College during your own lifetime. This can be achieved, within two years of the date of death, by means of a Deed of Variation. Any Inheritance Tax already paid can be reclaimed for the benefit of the beneficiaries of the will.
The Howard Society was set up in 1989 as a way of recognising and thanking those Old Members and friends of St Peter’s who decide to make provision for the College in their Will. Many people whose circumstances have not permitted them to support the College during their lifetime have been able to make a real difference to St Peter’s through gifts made in their Wills.