01 · Wills
A Will puts you in control.
Decide exactly who inherits, who looks after your children, and who deals with your estate, rather than leaving it to the rules of intestacy.
Why it matters
Without a Will, the law decides for you
Without a Will
- The intestacy rules decide who inherits, which may not be who you'd choose
- An unmarried partner has no automatic right to inherit anything
- No one you've chosen is in place to look after young children
- Your family may face extra delay and cost sorting out your estate
With a properly written Will
- Your estate goes to the people you choose, in the shares you choose
- You name the executors you trust to carry out your wishes
- You choose guardians for your children
- You can add trusts to help protect your home and savings for the future
Mirror Wills
Why a simple Will isn't always enough
Many couples make "mirror" Wills: everything to each other, then to the children. That works well, until circumstances change.
Once everything passes outright to the surviving partner, it belongs entirely to them. If they later remarry, their old Will is cancelled by the marriage, and a new spouse can become entitled to a large share. The children you meant to provide for can end up with far less, or nothing.
A real case · names changed
Robert and Mandy
Robert and Mandy made simple mirror Wills, leaving everything to each other and then to their two children. When Robert died unexpectedly, everything passed to Mandy.
Mandy has since met someone new and plans to marry. When she does, her Will is cancelled. Unless she makes a new one, her new husband could inherit a large share of the family home, and Robert's children could lose out.
Trusts in your Will
How we can help protect your estate
These trusts are written into your Wills and only take effect after a death. We'll talk through which, if any, suit your family.
Property Protection Trust
Designed to keep your share of the family home for your children, while your surviving partner keeps the right to live there for life.
If you own your home as joint tenants, we’ll sever the joint tenancy and register it with the Land Registry, so each of you owns a share you can leave in your Will.
Life Interest Trust
Extends the same idea to savings and investments. Your partner can benefit from the income, and the capital can pass to your children.
Beneficiary Protection Trust
Holds each child's inheritance in their own trust, which can help protect it from a future divorce, debts or people with bad intentions.
A real case · names changed
Karen and Mark
Karen and Mark have two married daughters. They were worried about one son-in-law, who had built up debts through gambling, and that daughter has since separated from him. They made new Wills with property, life interest and beneficiary protection trusts, so that after they have both died, what they leave is held in trust for their daughters rather than paid to them outright.
Trusts aren't right for everyone. They bring responsibilities for the people you appoint as trustees, and the outcome depends on your circumstances and the law at the time. We'll explain the pros and cons before you decide.
Free first meeting
Not sure what kind of Will you need?
Tell us about your family and what you own. We’ll recommend the right Will in plain English, with a fixed fee agreed before any work begins.
Alongside your Will
The details that make things easier
A letter of wishes
A private note to your executors and trustees, kept with your Will. It isn’t legally binding, but it guides them on things like how you’d like a trust used, who should have personal items, or your funeral wishes. You can update it without changing your Will.
Your digital life
Online banking, email, photos, social media and online accounts can be hard for your family to find or close. We’ll help you record what you have and what should happen to it, without ever writing passwords into your Will.
How long it takes
From first meeting to a signed Will
-
Step 1
Your draft Will
Sent to you to check once we have all your information, your signed Terms of Engagement and payment.
Within 2 weeks -
Step 2
Signing
Once you’re happy with the drafts, we arrange for you to sign with the right witnesses. Complex trusts can take a little longer.
Within 4 weeks of approval -
Step 3
Finishing off
Any Land Registry forms, such as severing a joint tenancy, are sent once we have your signed documents.
Within 1 week
Common questions
Your questions, answered
Can't see yours? Ask us at your free consultation, or call 020 8050 4201.
I'm married. Won't everything go to my husband or wife anyway?
Not always. Under the intestacy rules, if you have children your spouse may only receive part of your estate, with the rest going to your children. A Will lets you decide.
Does getting married or divorced affect my Will?
Yes. In England and Wales, marriage cancels an existing Will unless it was made with that marriage in mind. Divorce changes how your former spouse is treated under it. Both are good reasons to review your Will.
How often should I review my Will?
We recommend a review every three years, and after any big change such as a marriage, a birth, a death or a house move. Legacy Connect members get those reviews as part of their membership.
Where is my Will kept once it's signed?
With Legacy Connect, we store your original documents securely and you can see copies any time in the Legacy Connect Vault. You can also keep the original yourself.
Legacy Connect
Keep your Will safe and up to date
Secure storage of your original documents, reviews every three years and updates as your life changes.
Signing guide
Ready to sign your Will?
Who can witness, the eight steps, and what a correctly signed Will looks like.
Let's put the right Will in place.
A no-obligation first meeting, face to face, by video or by telephone. A fixed fee, agreed up front.