Writing a Will: Basics Every Adult Should Know

A will directs who inherits and who administers your estate. Without one, intestacy rules decide — and they rarely match modern families.

What happens without a will

In England and Wales, spouses do not automatically inherit everything. Unmarried partners have no automatic rights. Children may share with a spouse above thresholds. Scotland and Northern Ireland differ — location matters.

Choosing executors

Executors gather assets, pay debts, and distribute legacies. Pick someone organised and willing. Name a backup. Professionals charge fees but reduce friction.

Guardians and formalities

Parents should name guardians. Sign with two independent witnesses who are not beneficiaries. Store the original safely.

Wills and life insurance

Life payouts follow nominations, trusts, or the estate — not automatically the will. Align all three so they do not contradict.

1. List assets and who should receive them.
2. Appoint executors and guardians if needed.
3. Draft with a solicitor or reputable service.
4. Sign correctly with valid witnesses.
5. Tell executors where the original lives.

Practical next steps

Treat this topic as a decision with paperwork attached. Write down the household facts that matter — who depends on income, which debts must clear, and which workplace benefits already exist — before you compare products. A clear brief stops glossy quotes from steering the plan.

When you speak to an insurer or adviser, ask for definitions and exclusions in writing, and keep PDFs of every illustration you rely on. Markets and underwriting change; your notes are the audit trail.

• Confirm what cover you already hold (personal and workplace).
• Size need against obligations, not round marketing numbers.
• Align wills, trusts, and nominations with the policy.
• Never cancel old cover until replacement is on risk.

Mistakes families make here

The common failure mode is optimising for the cheapest monthly figure while ignoring structure: joint versus single policies, accelerated versus additional benefits, and whether a trust exists at all. Another is letting group benefits create false confidence until a resignation removes them overnight.

Build a short annual review habit. An hour with schedules and nomination forms prevents most emergency weekends after a diagnosis or redundancy.