Which Will is Suitable For You?

A Single Will is suitable for an individual who wishes to clearly set out how their estate should be distributed after their death.

Your Will can specify who you would like to inherit your property, money and possessions, appoint executors to administer your estate and, where appropriate, appoint guardians for children under the age of 18.

Whether you are making a Will for the first time or updating an existing Will, we will help ensure your wishes are clearly recorded and that your Will is tailored to your individual circumstances.

Mirror Wills, sometimes commonly referred to as Joint Wills, are often used by couples who have similar wishes for how they would like their estates to be distributed.

Each person has their own individual Will, but the Wills are drafted to reflect one another. Typically, each person leaves their estate to their spouse or partner in the first instance, with their chosen beneficiaries, such as children or other loved ones, inheriting after the death of the surviving partner.

Mirror Wills can be suitable for married couples, civil partners and unmarried couples who wish to make similar provisions for each other and their beneficiaries.

As each person has their own Will, either person can change or update their Will independently if their circumstances or wishes change in the future.

A Protective Property Trust Will can help protect your share of a property and ensure that it ultimately passes to your chosen beneficiaries, such as your children or other loved ones.

This type of Will is commonly considered by couples who own a property together and want to provide security for the surviving partner while also protecting their share of the property for their chosen beneficiaries.

When the first person dies, their share of the property can be placed into a Trust rather than passing outright to the surviving partner. The surviving partner can usually continue living in the property in accordance with the terms of the Trust, while the deceased person's share is preserved for the beneficiaries named in the Will.

Protective Property Trust Wills can be particularly useful for families wishing to protect an inheritance for children or other beneficiaries, including where there are children from previous relationships or concerns about how future changes in circumstances could affect the property.

The suitability and effectiveness of a Property Trust Will will depend on your individual circumstances, property ownership and the terms of the Trust. We will explain the available options and help you understand whether this type of estate planning may be appropriate for you.

A Discretionary Trust can be included within a Will to provide greater flexibility and control over how an inheritance may be managed and distributed to your chosen beneficiaries.

Rather than a beneficiary automatically receiving their inheritance outright, assets can be held within the Trust and managed by appointed trustees. The trustees have discretion, subject to the terms of the Trust, over when and how funds or assets are distributed amongst the beneficiaries.

Sometimes referred to as a “Bloodline Trust”, this type of planning may be considered by people who wish to protect an inheritance for children, grandchildren or other chosen beneficiaries, particularly where family or financial circumstances may change in the future.

A Discretionary Trust may also be considered where a beneficiary is young, financially vulnerable or where greater flexibility over the management of an inheritance is desirable.

The suitability of a Discretionary Trust will depend on your individual circumstances and objectives. We will explain how the Trust operates, the role and responsibilities of the trustees and the options available to help you make an informed decision.

A Flexible Life Interest Trust can be included within a Will to provide for a chosen beneficiary, often a spouse or partner, while also helping to protect assets for other beneficiaries in the future.

The person benefiting from the Trust, known as the life tenant, may be entitled to receive income from the Trust and, depending on the terms of the Will and Trust, may also have rights to use or benefit from certain Trust assets during their lifetime.

After the life tenant dies, the remaining Trust assets can pass to the beneficiaries specified in the Will, such as children or other loved ones.

A Flexible Life Interest Trust can be particularly useful for families who wish to provide financial security for a surviving spouse or partner while also preserving assets for children, including children from a previous relationship.

The Trust can provide flexibility to accommodate changing circumstances. The precise rights of the life tenant, trustees and ultimate beneficiaries will depend on how the Trust is structured and the terms contained within the Will.

We will explain how a Flexible Life Interest Trust works and whether this type of estate planning may be appropriate for your individual circumstances.

A Vulnerable Persons Trust can be included within a Will to help protect and manage an inheritance for a vulnerable or disabled beneficiary who may require additional support.

Rather than leaving an inheritance directly to the beneficiary, assets can be held within a Trust and managed by appointed trustees in accordance with the terms of the Will and Trust. This can provide greater control over how the inheritance is managed and used for the beneficiary’s needs.

This type of Trust may be considered where a beneficiary has a disability, additional needs or other circumstances that could make managing an inheritance independently difficult. Careful Trust planning may also be important where an inheritance could have implications for means-tested benefits or other financial support.

The trustees are responsible for managing the Trust and making decisions in accordance with its terms and the needs of the beneficiary.

The appropriate type of Trust will depend on the beneficiary’s individual circumstances. We will explain the available options, how the Trust operates and the responsibilities of the trustees so that you can make an informed decision about the most appropriate way to provide for your loved one.