Updating Your Will After Major Life Events

A Will Is a Living Document, Not a One-Off Job

Most of us sign a will, breathe a sigh of relief, and file it away in a drawer for good. The trouble is that life keeps moving. Between the school run, the mortgage and sorting out home insurance renewals, it is easy to forget that the document sitting in the filing cabinet may no longer reflect the family it was written for.

In England and Wales, roughly half of adults have no will at all. Of those who do, a great many have not looked at it in over five years. If you have married, separated, become a parent or received an inheritance since then, your will may be quietly working against your wishes. The good news is that reviewing it takes far less time than writing it did the first time — and a quick check now can save your family months of stress later.

Marriage, Civil Partnership and Divorce: The Legal Triggers

Getting married or entering a civil partnership automatically cancels any will you made beforehand in England and Wales, unless the will was written specifically in anticipation of that marriage. The result is that you die intestate, meaning the law decides who inherits rather than you. That may sound harmless if you intend to leave everything to your new spouse, but it can create real difficulties for children from a previous relationship, unmarried partners or anyone else you wanted to provide for.

Divorce works differently but is just as important. Your will stays valid, but your former spouse is treated as though they had died before you. They are removed as a beneficiary and cannot act as an executor. That sounds tidy until you realise it can leave a gaping hole in your plans — perhaps a share of your estate now passes to people you never intended, or there is no one appointed to administer everything.

• Married or newly partnered: write a fresh will after the ceremony, or make one in contemplation of marriage.
• Separated but not divorced: your spouse remains a beneficiary, so update now rather than waiting for the decree absolute.
• Divorced: revisit guardianship, executor and beneficiary choices, not just the name at the top.

Welcoming a New Child: Guardians, Trusts and Timing

A new baby is the single most common reason people finally get round to making a will — and the most common reason they need to update one. The first priority is appointing a guardian. If both parents die without naming one, the courts decide who raises your children, and that decision may not match your family's wishes.

Next comes the question of money. Children cannot inherit outright until they turn 18, and a large lump sum arriving on an eighteenth birthday is rarely the wisest outcome. Many families set up a simple trust within the will, allowing trustees to release funds for education, housing or a first car while protecting the rest until a later age, such as 21 or 25.

If you already have a will, check that it names all of your children, including any stepchildren or children from a previous relationship who you want to provide for. Intestacy rules do not recognise stepchildren, no matter how long they have been part of your family.

Inheritances, Inheritance Tax and Protection Cover

Receiving a significant inheritance changes the size of your estate, and that can push you over the inheritance tax threshold. The standard nil-rate band sits at £325,000, with an additional residence nil-rate band of up to £175,000 when a home passes to direct descendants. Above those limits, tax is charged at 40% — reduced to 36% if you leave at least 10% of your net estate to charity.

This is also the moment to check how your protection policies are set up. Life insurance and critical illness cover written into trust sit outside your estate, pay out faster and avoid probate delays. Policies that are not in trust may be taxable and can leave your family waiting months for money they need immediately. While you are at it, review your pension death benefit nominations and any death-in-service arrangements from your employer — these are not governed by your will at all.

Keeping Your Will and Paperwork Secure at Home

A will only helps if it can be found. Keep the original with your solicitor, your bank or the Principal Registry, and tell your executors exactly where it is. Do not keep it in a cupboard under the stairs where a burst pipe or a burglary could destroy it.

The same applies to the documents your family will need alongside it: property deeds, insurance schedules, pension details and account information. A small fireproof safe or a locked filing box is a sensible investment, and a secure digital copy stored with a reputable password manager gives you a backup without leaving sensitive papers lying around. Good home security and good estate planning go hand in hand — both are about making sure the people you love are protected when it matters.

A Simple Review Checklist

Aim to revisit your will every three to five years, and immediately after any major life event. Ask yourself:

• Are my executors still the right people, and do they know where the will is kept?
• Do my beneficiaries reflect my current family, including any new children or stepchildren?
• Is guardianship up to date, and have I discussed it with the person named?
• Are my protection policies in trust, and are pension nominations current?
• Has my estate grown enough to warrant inheritance tax planning?

Small changes can be handled with a codicil, but if a lot has shifted, a fresh will is usually cleaner and no more expensive. Speak to a solicitor who specialises in wills and probate, and treat the review as part of your family's annual admin — right alongside checking the smoke alarms and renewing the home insurance. It is one of the kindest things you can do for the people you love.