Better collaboration is needed between those managing legacies within charities and probate practitioners, according to a research report by law firm Penningtons Manches.

The Charity Legacy Report 2017, based on an independent survey carried out by Research Oxford, covers such issues as competency and level of understanding of the law, tax and regulatory requirements, frequency and tone of communication, and understanding each other’s needs.

Legacy officers and probate practitioners are predominantly satisfied with their own experience of dealing with charity legacies, but among the findings:

• While 82 per cent of legacy officers believe they provide a caring, compassionate and personalised approach to their work, only 54 per cent of probate practitioners agree with this assessment.
• Just 38 per cent of legacy officers are satisfied with the willingness of probate practitioners to accept assistance with charity law requirements.
• As much as 46 per cent of probate practitioners are unhappy with the frequency with which legacy officers check in with them and similar numbers are unhappy with the level of detail they request.

The report indicates clear scope for better understanding and collaboration between the two groups.

Read more