Donations

Making a charitable bequest to the CNIC: a lasting legacy of your support for research into cardiovascular disease

If you share our commitment to improving the treatment of and preventing cardiovascular disease—the leading cause of death in Spain—and are looking for a way to contribute to the common good, you may want to consider making a charitable bequest.

Please note that this information is intended for individuals subject to Spanish law. If you are subject to another legal system or have doubts about the legislation that applies to you, please contact us so that we can conduct a personalized assessment of your case. 

  1. What is a charitable bequest?

A charitable bequest is a gift of a part or all of your estate made through your will to charitable causes. The bequest can be left to a charitable trust or to a non-profit organization, such as a scientific research center like the Fundación Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares Carlos III (CNIC).

The CNIC is an internationally renowned research center dedicated to understanding the basis of cardiovascular health and to using this knowledge to improve patient care and promote disease prevention. If you decide to name the CNIC in your charitable bequest as an heir or legatee, you will join the growing number of people with a strong commitment to science and who, through their bequest, make a material contribution to the advancement of scientific research. The funds you provide will be used to create new research positions, improve equipment, or enable the purchase of reagents for new projects.

By making a charitable bequest to the CNIC, you will be supporting a field of research that addresses the leading cause of death in the world. According to the WORLD HEART REPORT 2023, cardiovascular disease caused a third of all deaths worldwide in 2021, a shocking 20.5 million deaths in that year alone. You can contribute to the global goal of reducing cardiovascular disease mortality by 25% by the year 2025, set by the Heart 25 by 25 campaign promoted by the World Heart Federation.

  1. How can I make a charitable bequest?

There are two ways to make a charitable bequest:

Herencia refers to the division of a deceased person’s estate among the compulsory heirs and other named beneficiaries according to assigned percentages.

Legado refers to the assignation of a specific asset or assets to a person or an organization; these specified assets are not considered among those divided among the heirs and beneficiaries according the herencia.

Spanish law divides a deceased person’s estate into three parts. The tercio legítimo (legal third) is distributed equally among the deceased person’s compulsory heirs and cannot be modified. The tercio de mejora (betterment third) is also reserved for compulsory heirs but can be distributed unevenly among them as the testator wishes. The tercio de libre disposición (free disposal third) can be assigned without restriction to any person or organization, including non-profit organizations like the Fundación CNIC.

  1. What about my family members?

Compulsory heirs under Spanish law have the right to a part of the estate, known as the porción legítima (legal portion). Compulsory heirs include any children (natural or adopted, within or outside marriage) and their descendants (grandchildren, etc.). If there are no descendents, the corresponding part of the legal portion passes to the parents or other predecessors. A surviving spouse or civil partner will inherit according to the pertinent marriage or civil-partnership law. If there are no compulsory heirs, the testator is free to dispose of the entire estate as he or she wishes.

  1. Can I modify my charitable bequest?

You can modify your will as many times as you like, without having to provide a reason. All you need to do is arrange for a public notary to draft the new will, and the most recent certified document will be the legally valid version.

  1. Will my bequest be affected by inheritance tax?

The Fundación CNIC is a non-profit organization with juridical personhood and as such is exempt from inheritance and gift tax. Therefore, the full value of the bequest will be dedicated to scientific research.

  1. How do go about it?

When including the CNIC Foundation in a charitable will, there are three options:

  1. If there are not compulsory heirs, you can name the Fundación CNIC as the sole beneficiary or as a co-beneficiary, assigning a defined percentage to each chosen beneficiary.
  2. Leave a legado (particular legacy), for example a sum of money, a percentage of the estate, or concrete assets such property or jewelry.
  3. Assign the CNIC the tercio de libre disposición

The charitable will is drawn up before a notary (the cost of this procedure is around €50, depending on the notary). Be sure to include the correct information for the CNIC Foundation and keep a copy. It is important that you make sure that the will correctly identifies the Fundación CNIC and that you keep a copy.

You can request a copy of your will from the notary office, where it will be officially registered and communicated to the Registry of Last Wills and Testaments. After formalizing your will, you should contact the CNIC to receive tailored advice and information about the Center’s activities. Your personal information will at all times be treated in the strictest confidence, in accordance with data protection law. It is also advisable to inform a trusted friend or relation about your bequest.

  1. What information will I need to provide to a public notary?

To identify the Fundación CNIC as a beneficiary in your will, the document should include the following information:

  1. Instead of making a charitable bequest, can I make the Fundación CNIC a beneficiary of my life insurance policy?

Yes, you can make the Fundación CNIC a beneficiary of your life insurance policy. To do this, you will need to inform your broker and notify the Fundación CNIC.