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Couples, guardians, second marriages and the people the rules forget.

The intestacy rules do not know your family. These guides cover the situations where a will matters most: unmarried couples, guardians for young children, mirror wills, and families that blend children from more than one relationship.

Find the right will for your family

Watercolour of a church porch with scattered confetti on worn stone steps, ivy and summer light beyond

Couples6 min read

Does marriage revoke a will? The rule that catches newlyweds

Getting married cancels the will you already have. Most newlyweds never find out, and the losses are rarely the ones you would expect.

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Watercolour of a child’s swing hanging from an oak tree in a summer garden, empty and gently lit

Guardianship6 min read

Choosing guardians for your children in your will

If both parents die without naming guardians, a family court decides who raises your children. One clause in a will settles it your way.

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Watercolour of two woodland paths converging into one, autumn leaves on both

Couples6 min read

Wills for second marriages and blended families

The standard "everything to each other" will quietly disinherits children from first relationships. Blended families need a different structure, not better intentions.

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Watercolour of two coats on hooks by a cottage door, wellies beneath, soft evening light

Couples6 min read

Wills for unmarried couples: why yours matter more

There is no common-law marriage in England and Wales. If you are together but not married, a will is the only thing standing between your partner and nothing.

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Watercolour of a brick cottage in an overgrown autumn garden, morning haze

Intestacy5 min read

What happens if you die without a will in England & Wales

Die without a will and the intestacy rules decide who inherits, not you. Here is exactly how the rules work, and who they leave out.

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Watercolour of two swans gliding side by side on a misty lake, their reflections mirrored

Couples4 min read

Mirror wills explained

Most couples want near-identical wills. Mirror wills do exactly that, but they are not as binding as many people assume. Here is how they work.

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