Leaving your estate to a friend or a charity is entirely legal and increasingly common — it just requires a bit more precision in the paperwork than leaving it to an obvious next-of-kin.
Naming a friend
Use their full legal name and, ideally, an alternate identifier (date of birth or address) to avoid any ambiguity. Name a backup beneficiary in case they predecease you — a step people often skip when the primary beneficiary isn't an age-appropriate spouse.
Naming a charity
Use the charity's full legal name and tax ID (EIN), which you can typically find on their website or by contacting their planned giving office directly — larger charities usually have a specific staff member who handles this and can guide you through the correct language for your will.
Consider naming both a percentage to a cause you care about and specific bequests to individual friends — many solo agers do both.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Work with an estate attorney to ensure your will's language is legally valid.