Do I Need a Will If I'm Married?
Being married does not mean you don't need a will. Under intestacy rules, your spouse might not inherit everything — and getting married cancels any will you already had.
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Being married does not mean you don't need a will. Under intestacy rules, your spouse might not inherit everything — and getting married cancels any will you already had.
Read guideUnmarried partners have no automatic inheritance rights in England and Wales. Without a will, your partner could receive nothing from your estate, regardless of how long you have lived together.
Read guideA beneficiary is anyone who receives a gift from your estate. Here is how different types of beneficiary work and what happens if one dies before you do.
Read guideTo make a valid will you must have "testamentary capacity" — a legal standard for mental competence set out by a court case in 1870 and still in use today.
Read guideA will needs two independent witnesses who are present when you sign. Get this wrong and the will, or a gift in it, may be invalid. Here is exactly who can and cannot witness.
Read guideDying without a will means the rules of intestacy decide who inherits. The results can be surprising — and they do not consider who you actually wanted to benefit.
Read guideYes. English law does not require a solicitor to make a valid will. But how you write it matters. Here is when DIY works, when online services are appropriate, and when a solicitor is genuinely worth the cost.
Read guideA lasting power of attorney lets someone you trust make decisions on your behalf if you lose mental capacity. It covers either your finances and property, or your health and care, or both.
Read guideIn England and Wales, you can write your own will without a solicitor, provided you sign it correctly. Find out when it's safe to do so.
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